Introduction

These postings describe a series of trips through the State of Oaxaca, Mexico from 1996-2002. Visits to curanderos, a sacred well, and a boulder that only could be tipped with one's thumb are some of the highlights.


I thank the members of my family who set aside their personal concerns in order to encourage me to become a citizen of the world so that I might learn that we are all one in spirit.

I am blessed with many friends and acquaintances who endlessly listened to my experiences in Oaxaca and who supported the writing of this book. Many of them read and critiqued paragraphs and chapters.

My appreciation goes to the Turismo el Convento de Oaxaca in the City of Oaxaca for facilitating opportunities to gather some of the material included in these chapters.

I extend my thanks to my guides and drivers without whom this book never could have been written. I have called all of them Octavio; however, my deepest appreciation goes to Antonio Zarate. Antonio never tired of driving me around the State of Oaxaca and never complained whenever I wanted to stop at an interesting location. He diligently discovered new places to visit and enlivened them with well-researched information. His superb driving skills, his humor and his absolute trustworthiness made traveling with him safe, delightful and memorable. To meet him, visit his website at www.oaxacaguideservice.com (e-mail: zarate_antonio@hotmail.com).

I salute the people in the State of Oaxaca. They welcomed me with a feeling of community and embraced me with an abundance of spirit, thereby revealing to me the way of the heart. I have changed some of their names in order to protect their privacy and to preserve their dignity, just as I have disguised the names of several of the towns and villages I write about.

Oaxaca de Juarez is the capital of the State of Oaxaca. In order to distinguish between the two Oaxacas, I refer to the State of Oaxaca as Oaxaca and its capital as the City.

Santo Domingo Church deserves the highest praise. For me, it is a living presence. It is where I first conceived the idea of writing about my experiences and where I offer prayers for guidance and listen for direction whenever I am in the City of Oaxaca.