Journey

I journeyed with the intention to meet with an animal that is waiting for me.

I walked up to the saguaro and admired her outstretched arms
I entered the woodpecker nest and traveled down the roots of the saguaro to the tunnel
It was dark
I could feel myself moving

I thought I might have passed the cave
But then I was there

It was dark but I could see that, this time, all the stones on the floor were reddish, rust colored
The air was cold
I wondered if I'd see the canoe and it appeared from upstream
I knew I could get in without capsizing it
We floated downriver

It was dark but I could see color on its hull, turquoise and rust

I reminded myself that I was going to meet an animal that was waiting for me
I heard the sound of a waterfall

The canoe turned right as the current turned a sharp left
We struck sand, a tiny, enclosed beach

I pulled the canoe up further and sat down with my feet in the water
Water splashed on my pants and it was cold
I waited and watched the water, wondering if I'd see a fish jump up (the salmon of wisdom, perhaps)
I squirmed back through the sand and leaned against the stone wall
I waited and watched

Finally, I pushed the canoe back in the water and looked for a paddle
There was none, so I just let the canoe move with the current

We entered a lake inside an enormous cave
I couldn't see them, but I knew there were pillars reaching up high to the ceiling
I wondered where we were going
I couldn't hear a waterfall any more

Suddenly, we began falling down a waterfall that took us outside the cave

I hadn't seen the opening, but it was light outside
The canoe began to fly
I assumed there was ocean below, but I looked up and saw a tree growing on top of the cliff
The canoe flew through the air, upward, and circled left
It landed far from the tree I'd seen and I stepped out

There was another tree nearby and, possibly, a few more in the distance
I looked for the animal who was waiting for me

Although I'd seen no animals, this part of the lower world didn't feel as lifeless as other parts had
I walked for a while, but didn't seem to get closer to the other trees
I wasn't far from the canoe and I hadn't gone past that tree
I looked up and sensed that a large bird had just flown away
I looked back at the canoe and wondered if anyone had been in it with me, someone small
I walked back and looked
Maybe someone very small had just scurried away

I walked some more, again making no progress
I wanted to give up but kept reminding myself that an animal was waiting for me
I walked and walked but the scenery didn't change
Finally, I turned around and was still right by the canoe

I wondered if the canoe was the "animal" I was supposed to meet
I was frustrated and didn't know what to do
I wondered if I was supposed to journey to the upperworld and look for a teacher
I touched the canoe and said, Thank you
Then I flew down the cliff, over the waterfall, the lake (inside the cave system), and the river
and walked back though the cave to the tunnel

I emerged outside the saguaro and said, I'm back

Interesting that I could see the color of the stones in the darkness
What does it mean that they were rust colored?
Is the canoe a living being?
How could I see designs on the outside of the hull when I was inside it?
Surprising how vivid the sensation of cold was
The underground lake with pillars is from a fantasy novel (perhaps Sheri Tepper?)
The flying canoe made me think of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Isn't the lower world supposed to be friendlier and more co-operative?