Taos Pueblo… Quote from this website article by World Heritage…
“Taos Pueblo, or Tau-Tah, the place of the Red Willows, is considered the longest continuously inhabited place in the United States, a village of about 150 full-time residents, with around 2,000 people living on Pueblo land.
This sign greets you as you enter the village:
Welcome To Taos Pueblo
The Red Willow People of Taos Pueblo welcome visitors as they have for over 1,000 years. To visit the living village is to walk into a sacred place where life continues from the earliest of human existence. Little has changed here in the high desert village. From the people to the pristine landscape, Taos Pueblo continues to enchant visitors old and new.”
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“Living in the moment” is at the center of New Mexico’s cultural and spiritual experience, starting with ancient Native American Heritage and connecting with modern America at our roots and soul. The memorials, and tributes to the history of America’s warriors make a clear connection to the past and the present. It would take a lifetime to capture the full depth and breadth of this beautiful land and diversified community that thrives on spirituality, healing, and the arts, connecting all of us as brothers and sisters.
The Bataan Memorial Museum and Library “Honoring New Mexico’s Citizen-Soldiers since 1598” traces the origins of New Mexico’s National Guard back to the Spanish militia. “When the Japanese captured 70,000 U.S. and Filipino soldiers in 1942, most of New Mexico’s national guard was among them. Released more than three years later, only half of the 1,800 men from New Mexico survived to return home. On exhibit are maps, press clippings and testimonials, along with Civil War artifacts and items connected to the codetalkers and other Native Americans who participated in U.S. wars.” America’s first warriors are honored both at the many tribal cultural centers, including the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and the memorials to veterans of all wars…New Mexico Veterans’ Memorial. Angel Fire, New Mexico, nestled in the high mountain valley near Sante Fe, offers one of the most sacred memorials to Vietnam Veterans…The David Westphall Foundation, Vietnam Veterans Memorial…
One of our most special experiences of spiritual healing in New Mexico was at Chimayo near Santa Fe. Judy and I visited Chimayo in the fall of 2012 on an earlier visit. I wrote about Chimayo, “A Special Place for Healing and Prayer.” Click on my blog post…
Our recent visit included Glenn Green Galleries in Tesuque, New Mexico near Santa Fe, which captured our attention and provided even more New Mexican spiritual context from the many sculptures and works of art on display in the gallery and on the property. Glenn Green, owner, shared stories of two notable artists, Eduardo Oropeza and Khang Pham-New. Please click on the referenced links to learn more about their life experiences and body of work… The stories show the healing value and passion of artists who discover their natural gifts early in life. Mr. Green tells the stories that bring the art and the artists to life. Glenn’s passion for his own work as a collector of unique art is about the artists whose stories are as much a part of appreciating the power of healing as the finished sculptures and other works of art displayed in his gallery.
Judy and I couldn’t get enough of these special and unique spiritual venues during our visit to New Mexico. Each sacred memorial, museum, and exhibit was special and moving to us in so many ways. My own history as a Vietnam era US Navy veteran and post WWII military child has a much deeper heartfelt meaning than at anytime in my past. Judy’s own history of her father’s WWII US Navy service provided her special meaning and legacy. Judy’s history also includes knowing friends and loved ones who served in Vietnam, and some who did not come home. We were both overwhelmed with emotion at times. America’s connectedness to Native American Heritage and the bravery of tribal soldiers’ sacrifice in all wars of our past could not be better demonstrated than in the history of New Mexico and its people. The people of New Mexico were most welcoming and gracious to us everywhere we visited. Our recent extended visit to New Mexico was one of the most memorable, healing and spiritual experiences in our lifetime. The best news is we are already planning a return visit! Check out the reference websites and plan your own special visit…
Steve Sparks, Author, My Journey of Healing in Life After Trauma, Part 1 and Reconciliation: A Son’s Story…
Please support my mission of helping families who suffer from PTSD and moral injury…order my books, My Journey of Healing in Life After Trauma, Part 1… (Kindle $2.99), and Reconciliation: A Son’s Story. Click and order paperback or download Kindle version. Buy my book at Barnes & Noble as well… Thank you! Steve Sparks, Author
