desert info page

Desierto de las Animas

and

Real de Catorce

Looking down on Real de Catorce from up near the castle
on the way to El Quemado view of the desert
El Quemado at Sunset

This really is my favorite place in the world! I have experienced more powerful magic in the desert here than any place I have ever been to in my life. You may remember me telling you about the continuing story of the Black Eagle and the paradigm smashing effects it has had for me.

We will be camping in the desert for several days, carrying all our food and water we will be needing with us (admittedly, we won't be needing too much food!). It is my sincere hope that each one of us will receive beautiful visions about our life and the direction we want it to flow into. But this thing is very subjective, and each person will receive according to how much energy was put into the experience.

The Huichol Indians walk 300 miles to this site every year, and climb the holy mountain El Quemado to leave offerings that symbolize their prayers and thanksgivings on the summit. Not being Huicholes, I don't expect us to do everything like they do, but it is a very good idea to have plenty of respect for the ancient traditions they follow.

Close to El Quemado up in the mountains, is the old mining town of Real de Catorce. This is almost a ghost town, since the mines have been out of operation since the Mexican Revolution. The old houses are mostly falling in on themselves, but the church, which has the good fortune to possess a statue of St. Francis that miraculously answers all prayers, is in beautiful shape (thanks to the donations from the many satisfied or hopeful visitors) and serves as the anchor for the few hundred who continue to live there to have something to do. (The Huicholes who have successfully resisted becoming Christians for all these centuries haven't yet succombed to these superstitious ideas, and still prefer to do religion their own way).

Besides the church, there is a hell of a lot to see there. Lots of old mines, some of them beautifully ornate, incredibly deep shafts, a near by "for real" ghost town, and the ruins of an ancient Spanish castle and its associated watch towers and batteries that used to guard the pass before the tunel was dug through the mountain.

I think it is always a good idea to spend at least a few days up in Real exploring and making a pilgrimage to El Quemado before heading down into the desert, for the "real" business!

Much more info about Real can be found using the search engine below - just enter in "Real de Catorce".

a happy family

shyly revealing a flower