July 22, 2012
Birthday No. 51 – As would seem appropriate with this transit, today is a day of new beginnings, and the influences you feel today will affect the entire year. However, this does not mean the whole year will disappoint if today doesn’t work out exactly as planned. As the Sun symbolizes, you are receiving a new impulse from the energy center within you. Therefore, any new venture you start at this time will ride the crest of this new energy and will very likely come to an acceptable conclusion. Whatever you do or begin today will bear the stamp of your individuality more than anything else. This is the day to assert yourself anew. – Astro.com
I was finished with The Lovers year in Tarot and transitioned into The Chariot year on this day.
I woke up at 6:00 AM and headed straight for the Dana Point, California harbor. My destination for the day was Avalon, California, on Catalina Island. A few days before leaving Phoenix, I discovered that Catalina Express offered a deal that provided free round-trip fare for anyone traveling on their birthday. ($75.00 value) Since I had never been to Catalina, I thought this would be a great time to go. I called and made reservations for the 7:45 AM departure on my birthday, July 22, 2012.
The sky was completely overcast and cloudy when I arrived at the harbor.
The boarding process went very smoothly. Before long, we had departed the harbor at Dana Point and headed for Catalina.
Approximately an hour and ten minutes later, we pulled into Avalon, California. As the photo below shows, the sky was beginning to clear up.
Since the last ferry returning to Dana Point was completely sold out for the day, I had to schedule an overnight stay at a local hotel, which Ricardo had gifted me as my birthday present. All my expenses were paid for this excursion to Catalina, except for my food and beverage.
Once I arrived at Hotel Atwater, I checked in my bags with the concierge and asked for walking directions to Mount Ada. With my 72 Names of God book and meditation tools, I set out to hike up the mountain. Approximately 45 minutes later, after walking up many flights of steps, I arrived at the top of Mount Ada. Upon my arrival, I discovered a huge crucifix. The crucifix confirmed for me that I had made the right choice once again in choosing my location.
I resided on the 33°20’35” Parallel. The view of Avalon from Mount Ada was breathtaking.
Facing east towards the mainland, I looked out over the Pacific Ocean…
and invoked the “Self-Esteem” angel between 10:20 and 10:40 AM.
Once my meditation was complete, I returned to downtown Avalon to explore the various gift shops and restaurants. I stopped in at “Lori’s Good Stuff” for the best Turkey and Avocado sandwich I have ever had.
Shortly after lunch, the front desk clerk at Hotel Atwater called to say that my room was ready for check-in. I got room 307.
I spent the rest of the late afternoon/early evening exploring various parts of Avalon and responding to different birthday messages via my cell phone and email.
Before I went to bed, I took a few moments to reflect on my 50th birthday the year before, when Ricardo took the following photograph of me at Hopi.
Sunset: July 22, 2011 | Photo by Ricardo
A year later, on my 51st birthday, I was now in Avalon and had spent the last several days completing five 72 Names of God meditations on the California Coastline in the shape of a cross…
Google Maps 2012
At 10:30 PM, I drifted off to sleep in room 307 of the Hotel Atwater in Avalon, California.
Hey, hey, hey, y’all!