| Indiana Jones and the Volcano | | | | within a few inches of the mass. To my surprise, |
| Experiencing a live volcano was on top of our | | | | the air felt like I had just opened a 400-degree |
| agenda when my friend Rob and I visited the | | | | oven. The surface was so hot, I instinctively |
| exotic land of Costa Rica. The plane touched | | | | jumped back a few feet. When we first arrived |
| down in the capital city of San Jose, and we | | | | earlier in the morning, the extremely cold wind |
| headed for the car rental to pick up a 4x4 and a | | | | and pelting rain had so neutralized the radiant heat |
| map to Mt. Arenal, the nearest active volcano. | | | | from the lava, we didn't even notice the |
| After an arduous drive through torrential rain, we | | | | temperature. |
| finally arrived in a quiet village supposedly at the | | | | But the heat was not the only aspect of the lava |
| foot of a fire-belching monster. I say supposedly | | | | that the elements had concealed from us. I picked |
| because it was so foggy, we weren't even sure a | | | | up a small twig and approached the foot of the |
| volcano existed. We couldn't see a tree a block | | | | black mound that had gushed from the top of the |
| away, let alone a volcanic mountain looming 5,000 | | | | mountain. Getting as close as I could to the |
| feet above us. | | | | sulphurous heat, I stuck the branch into the |
| Locals claim if you really listen closely, you can | | | | rain-drenched ground about two inches in front of |
| hear the beast rumble. We never heard a | | | | the lava. Within a minute, the lava hill reached the |
| whimper. By the second misty day and night of | | | | stick and buried it! |
| no sighting, I suspected the local population had | | | | Suddenly my whole body reeled with the |
| fabricated the story of an erupting volcano in | | | | involuntary shudder of recognition. For the last |
| order to attract tourist dollars. A volcano of | | | | hour Rob and I had been walking on a live, moving |
| convenience. No muss, no fuss. Just some | | | | lava flow! And Rob was still up there running |
| imaginary rumbling every so often that only the | | | | around on the molten granite. |
| locals hear from a volcano no one ever sees | | | | Another eruption, three times louder than the first |
| because of the rain and fog! | | | | one, filled the air. My ears throbbed from the |
| Waiting out the rain, we were eating a tasty | | | | deafening boom. My feet and body registered |
| native dinner of red beans and rice at a colorful | | | | avalanche after avalanche of crashing rock |
| local dive when the owner of the café | | | | careening down the side of the volcano. |
| strolled over to our table. Without invitation, he | | | | Descending the rough trail, I ran head over heels |
| plopped himself down. Miguel appeared to me | | | | in a panic, determined to outrun any rockslides |
| exactly as I've always imagined don Juan of | | | | coming my way. After a half-hour of the fastest, |
| Carlos Castaneda fame to look. His face was dark | | | | long distance race I've ever run, I arrived at our |
| and swarthy with a kind but inscrutable | | | | jeep safely sheltered under a broad-armed tree. |
| expression. Staring straight into our eyes, he | | | | Collapsing into the front seat, I fought to catch |
| declared in halting English, "You want to know | | | | my breath. |
| volcano, not just look at it." | | | | As my pulse and mind quieted, I was overcome |
| Being a veteran traveler, I have learned to be | | | | with fear for the safety of my friend still walking |
| agreeable in a foreign country and, in general, say | | | | around on the moving bed of liquid rock in the |
| "yes" to practically everything spoken to me by | | | | midst of periodic violent explosions. I began feeling |
| the locals. Not realizing the full import of the | | | | intensely responsible. I'd left a young kid in my |
| distinction between the words Miguel had used, I | | | | charge on top of an erupting volcano! A |
| responded amicably, "Yeah, yeah, of course, we'd | | | | nightmarish vision bombarded me. I saw his |
| like to know the volcano." | | | | parents, who had entrusted their son with me, |
| Without another word, Miguel turned over my | | | | watching local authorities dig through the rubble of |
| paper place mat and began to draw a crooked | | | | the volcano searching for the body of the lost |
| line. We watched in silence as he guided the pencil | | | | American youth. Feeling so guilty and worried I |
| over the grease-stained paper in absorbed | | | | could neither relax nor rest, I decided I must |
| concentration. What emerged was a detailed map | | | | leave the jeep and hike back up the volcano. I |
| of twists and turns with landmarks indicated by | | | | had to find Rob. |
| little, kid-like pictures of trees, stone walls and tiny | | | | No sooner had I opened the door of the jeep |
| shacks to represent a village. | | | | than an insistent inner impulse told me to stay put |
| Finished, Miguel sighed and spoke directly into our | | | | and listen inside for further instructions. When I |
| souls with piercing, green eyes. "This map take | | | | receive such forceful commands from my inner |
| you to volcano. To be with volcano-to feel and | | | | coach, I usually obey. Quieting myself as much as |
| know spirit of volcano." Then he laughed softly | | | | possible under the circumstances, I endeavored to |
| and cautioned us we would be scared because | | | | get in touch with my next best intuitive move. I |
| the volcano would definitely erupt when we were | | | | challenged myself, Was it wrong what I did? Was |
| there. "But volcano not harm you," he added | | | | it selfish and self-absorbed to look after my own |
| hastily. With a wistful look in his face, Miguel | | | | safety and leave a young kid behind? |
| shared how he has picnicked at the edge of the | | | | After I felt all the intense emotions stirred up |
| volcano his whole life and the towering inferno had | | | | from asking these soul-searching questions, I |
| never harmed him. His words only mildly consoled | | | | received a very strong message directly from |
| me. | | | | Spirit. My inner knowing spoke to me emphatically, |
| The sound of the cold, drenching rain woke us at | | | | saying: |
| dawn. We still couldn't see or hear the volcano. | | | | "You did the right thing. You followed your intuition. |
| Since the downpour discouraged us from any | | | | If you recall specifically, your inner coach told you |
| tourist activity, we decided we may as well get | | | | that it was dangerous for you to stay, and that |
| soaking wet following Miguel's map to wherever it | | | | you needed to leave immediately. It said nothing |
| led. | | | | about your friend Rob. Nothing at all. You were |
| We drove up the steep mountainside until the | | | | right to follow your guidance and leave. In fact, |
| rugged jeep road ended abruptly at a craggy cliff. | | | | had you stayed, you may very well have |
| I was very surprised Miguel's hand-drawn map | | | | endangered your friend's safety! Had you stayed, |
| actually corresponded to what we found on our | | | | you would have been out of alignment with your |
| journey. We followed our friend's makeshift chart | | | | intuition and, therefore, out of harmony and |
| through a hole in a fence, up a circuitous rocky | | | | integrity with yourself. This discordant state has a |
| path, over many collapsed lava rock walls and | | | | strong tendency to interfere with another |
| past long-deserted fruit orchards. The trail ended | | | | person's ability to tap into and follow his or her |
| at an imposing 300-foot wall of solid volcanic lava | | | | own knowing. Had you stayed, you may have |
| flow so jagged and sharp we couldn't climb it. | | | | hindered Rob's ability to hear and heed his inner |
| Fortunately for us, Miguel had anticipated this | | | | direction. You took the most helpful, loving and |
| challenge. At the edge of the lava flow, his map | | | | appropriate action by following the letter and spirit |
| showed a naturally camouflaged trail through the | | | | of your intuition. You following you own internal |
| dense rainforest. We plunged into the dark | | | | urging allowed your friend the space to realize he |
| primeval forest. The jungle growth was so thick | | | | must rely on his own internal wisdom." |
| with vines and roots, the path so muddy and | | | | Spirit's message was a fascinating new lesson in |
| slippery, I felt we'd dropped into a comic scene | | | | intuitive guidance for me. In general, and for its |
| right out of the Harrison Ford movie "Indiana | | | | reassurance in my present predicament, I was |
| Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." During | | | | grateful for this fresh perspective. I never before |
| one hilarious moment, Rob and I both lost our | | | | realized the precision of intuition. I never before |
| footing and, clutching each other, slid back down | | | | understood the independence of one person's |
| fifty feet of the mudslide trail. Grabbing | | | | guidance from the inner counsel of another |
| overhanging vines, Tarzan-style, saved the | | | | person in a shared situation. |
| day-and our necks! Our guardian angels must get | | | | At the exact moment I realized the import of |
| a lot of overtime pay! | | | | what I was being told by my inner coach, Rob |
| Undaunted and filled with the rush of adventure, | | | | came streaking down the trail toward the jeep. In |
| Rob and I helped each other stand up, pull | | | | the fury of the last violent eruption, Rob received |
| ourselves together and restart the climb. Clawing | | | | his own internal signal to vamoose. Guided by his |
| and scratching our way through the rainforest, | | | | own inner compass, he immediately took the |
| we finally reached the top of the lava flow. My | | | | Mudslide Express through the jungle to safety. I |
| first impression was how very windy and cold it | | | | was extremely relieved-and appreciative to |
| was up there for a tropical climate. The pouring | | | | Spirit-that my nightmare vision of Rob's demise |
| rain and dense fog had persisted, obliterating the | | | | was averted. I gave silent thanks for the eternal |
| view of anything more than a foot in front of us. | | | | lessons I learned from our escapade. |
| As we inched our way along the top of the | | | | Back on solid ground, Rob and I were anxious to |
| volcanic rock, I remembered how Miguel had told | | | | leave the mountain rains and clouds. We hopped |
| us of his many idyllic picnics here with his friends. | | | | into the jeep and sped toward the sunny western |
| Not very conducive weather for a picnic on this | | | | coast of Costa Rica. Driving down the |
| morning! | | | | mountainside, we both lapsed in and out of |
| Suddenly, a booming roar filled the air, followed by | | | | thankful silence for being alive. Perhaps the next |
| a very powerful rumble that reverberated | | | | day, the morning's events would seem a great |
| throughout our bodies. We felt the Earth roll in | | | | adventure, but, right then, the very real danger |
| one undulating wave after another! Even though | | | | we'd just survived remained very palpable and |
| Rob and I had never experienced an eruption | | | | raw. Our minds, emotions and physical bodies |
| before, we instinctively knew this was the | | | | were still remembering and replaying our narrow |
| volcano showing its might. The ground continued | | | | escape. |
| to heave in unnerving spasms. People-size | | | | Suddenly, Rob and I experienced simultaneous |
| boulders sped past us down the slope. Flying | | | | intuitive hits to pull over and get out of the jeep. |
| rocks were propelled into nearby trees, the sheer | | | | Leaning against the vehicle, we turned as one |
| force imbedding the projectiles cleanly into their | | | | toward the top of the mountain we'd just |
| trunks. We heard and felt nearby avalanches | | | | descended. As if waiting for us to stop our |
| crashing their way down the mountain. We could | | | | downward trek away from the mountain and turn |
| only see a fraction of the devastation because of | | | | our gaze upward, the clouds parted to reveal the |
| the blinding downpour, but our bodies definitely | | | | awesome Mt. Arenal volcano for the very first |
| registered the massive rearrangement all around | | | | time since our arrival in Costa Rica so many days |
| us. | | | | earlier. The dense mist lifted. We saw exactly |
| A sharp electric terror shot through every cell of | | | | where we had been hiking on the lava flow. We |
| my body. Its message was explicit and | | | | pinpointed where the tree line ended and the lava |
| commanding, "Leave! Now! You must go now to | | | | flow began. We'd been standing only a hundred |
| save your life." | | | | yards from the open mouth of the volcano when |
| I shouted to Rob, "We're out of here! It's not | | | | it erupted! |
| safe!" To my astonishment, he shook his head | | | | The restaurant owner Miguel had promised we |
| from side to side indicating he didn't want to go. | | | | would be with, we would feel and we would know |
| "I'm staying. This is too cool!" he yelled over the | | | | the spirit of the volcano. He said the mountain |
| roar of the wind and falling rock. He was nineteen | | | | would definitely erupt when we were there. And |
| years old. His sense of novelty and exploration | | | | he'd promised the volcano would not harm us. |
| was still stronger than his sense of danger and | | | | The rain and his crude map tricked us into going |
| good judgment. I started to argue. I made zero | | | | so close to the volcano that we did, indeed, get |
| impression on the brash, young daredevil. | | | | to know the volcano, not just view it. |
| Then another explosion rocked our world. I | | | | Was it the spirit of the volcano that sent Miguel |
| watched in horror as the heat, ash and force of | | | | to us? -and turned the skies into a torrential |
| the blast denuded a huge 200-foot tree in one | | | | downpour in order to obscure the treacherous |
| second, stripping off all its leaves and limbs. If this | | | | nature of our journey so we wouldn't be scared |
| volcano could do that to a tree, it could do the | | | | off? Rob and I agreed, stranger things have |
| same to us! I knew with certainty I was | | | | happened. One thing was certain. If we'd been |
| supposed to leave posthaste. | | | | able to see where we were going, we would |
| Jumping off the top of the lava mound right into | | | | never have walked as close as we did to the |
| the rainforest, I bolted without another thought. I | | | | mouth of the cauldron. |
| threw myself into the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" | | | | Now, viewing the majesty of Mt. Arenal, we were |
| express mudslide, riding the flowing water and | | | | humbled and ever so grateful for the experience |
| sludge through the dense jungle growth down the | | | | of having been able to safely feel the mountain's |
| side of the still-quaking mountainside. In what | | | | power and personality. As we were sending out |
| seemed like only a few seconds, I arrived at the | | | | our thankfulness to and admiration of the volcano, |
| bottom of the lava flow. The path was certainly | | | | the mountain erupted again with an explosion |
| faster and easier going down than climbing up! For | | | | twice as high as the volcano itself. Two miles of |
| a brief moment, I lay soaked to the bone, resting | | | | elegant ash plume shot up into the dark blue sky. |
| in a mud puddle, my ripped clothes covered with | | | | The event was quite dramatic and very humbling. |
| brown muck. | | | | We knew the volcano was responding to our love |
| Recovering some of my composure, I became | | | | and appreciation for its gift to us that day. Then |
| aware for the first time of heat radiating from | | | | the clouds closed back in and our mighty friend |
| the lava flow smoldering several feet to my left. I | | | | said good-bye, leaving us forever changed and |
| crawled in the direction of the flow until I was | | | | enriched by its friendship. |