Written by Melissa Johnson,
Highlander Magazine July 2010 #127

I met John while living in San Francisco. Quickly, he became my friend-spiritual guide-and-massage therapist all rolled into one. Such magic in those hands, such wisdom in his understanding—after one session I was hooked. Trained in the healing arts of Chinese medicine, John began each session with a simple question: “What’s going on?” This meant that he wanted a brief State of the Union on my physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health because, to him, it was all connected.

During the time I lived in the city, I met with John every week. Through our conversations and his amazing body work I began to experience shifts in consciousness on many levels, but none more compelling than my understanding of what it means to be discerning. We spent hours talking about life paths—his, mine and those of our friends. We dissected, analyzed, and waxed poetic about love.

Then one day, while discussing my relationship with a man whom I loved deeply but who lacked certain core qualities that I wanted in a partner, John suggested that the key to my dilemma could be found by taking on the persona of the female mountain goat.

You see, female mountain goats—or nannies, as they’re called—will climb to the top of a mountain peak and sit there. She’s holding out for the billy with certain qualities—like horn symmetry; and short sturdy legs with a heavy body; top-of-the-line hooves to help him move about the rocky ledges; and, of course, social rank because this will determine his access to resources. Below her, all the billies are doing their male mountain goat thing—snorting, bleating, locking horns, fighting, pushing each other around in an effort to win her. Some of the billies are killed or give up and move along in search of greener pastures. But the strong contenders continue their ascent to claim the prize at the top of the mountain. (more…)

Every one of us knows what it’s like to invest in something with determination, passion and conviction for a long time, sometimes half a lifetime, whether it be with money, sweat, time, love… to find yourself suddenly at the end of the road with a NO. A failure.
(more…)