It was September 20, 2002 when I went out to the beach on the Yucatan penisula to do a full moon/Equinox ceremony. The next day was a clear and hot, with a strong breeze. I went to the water and got a few shells off the beach to put into the salts I was making. On the way back there was a huge white bougainvillia blossom. I heard the deva say, you need this, take it, it’s OK.
Who am I to argue with the angel of such a flower? I went back to the veranda of my little house, and put the shells, gems and flowers essences into the salt. I then laid the bougainvillia on top. I set it out in the sun where the crystals were picking up the light and infusing rainbows into each salt crystal. This is good, I thought. I will go to lunch and come right back to finish the ceremony and add to the salts.
I closed up the house and walked to the little road to catch a bus that would take me to another bus that took me back to Merida. We had a lunch date. When I got there, my now-husband told me a hurricane was on the way. The beach was being evacuated. I had a hard time believing this. We decided to go to the store to get some supplies just in case the prediction was true. The morning had been full of squalls: rain, wind, sun, steam. We entered the underground parking area and hit some water which caused the tires of the scooter to skid. We fell and injured ourselves and the bike. We went in for supplies—candles, water, canned food, batteries. I remember looking at other shoppers items and thinking, they don’t think anything is wrong. Maybe we are!
We missed lunch because of the damage to the scooter. We had a fitful sleep. All reports were saying the hurricane was moving north. Then it changed. We heard that the winds would arrive at 3pm. Rarely is anything on time in mañana land, but Isidoro arrived exactly on time. The next few hours were intense as the wind picked up and palm fronds were being pulled off and disappeared faster than our focus.
Our last phone call was around 7 and we were told the eye was to pass by at around 9-9:30. Now, this is the interesting thing and one I didn’t know having grown-up in earthquake country… One by one, the electric grids are shut down to protect against fire or electrocutions. It was like the twilight zone to go into dusk and have no light. The noise by 8 was unbelievable. At around 9 we decided to go out and see if we could experience the eye of the storm. I will tell you, this is a very unwise thought.
However, we were OK, but couldn’t understand why there was light so close. I thought all grids had been shut down. Only the next day did I realize the eye of the storm was passing about ½ mile from us and the light was the light of the full moon. We were forced to go back in by the ferocious 131mph winds.
The storm got stuck over Merida and blew for 13 hours. The next day I was shocked to see enormous trees blown down and lying like pick-up sticks across streets and avenues. Poles twisted and wires dangling. I was shocked because we heard nothing because of the shrieking, roaring winds.
We were not allowed to go out to the beach (25 miles away) for 3 days. The roads had to be cleared. We took the bus and everyone was abnormally quiet as if we were holding our collective breath waiting to see what happened on the coast. Or what was left of the coast.
We changed busses and held hands as we walked the 3 blocks to the house. The fence was damaged and half of the trees torn out of their bases, faces down in the sandy soil. A neighbor walked by and told us he closed our windows… The wind was so strong it pushed through the window locks on the glass and flew through the house, breaking open the lock on the back bedroom door. Oddly enough, my feathers had not moved. The throw rugs were wet, but nothing had moved at all in the house.
I went upstairs to the veranda. There sat the little bowl with a soggy bougainvillia crowning the wet salts. How that bowl was intact will always be a mystery. Angels at work, I heard.
These salts held their own spot while 3 blocks away the storm surge was 30 feet, lifting up concrete verandas and slamming them into living rooms, then carry every appliance and piece of furniture out to sea. The flower was not blown off, the bowl (weighing maybe 3 pounds) did not budge.
Hurricane Salts are all about being in the most extreme situations and keeping calm. A sense of flexible purpose, and truly off the grid, this bring you home to your heart’s strength. The light of the full moon, the winds of total change, the water raising up to show its power… all are here along with the sweetness and vision it takes to be calm in the midst of change.
Use these for any life changes, upheavals, turmoils, and remain light and untouched by chaos. Good for animals too, after the unexpected trots through your life.