Junto Boys

To go on a "Vision Quest" is an act that is not typically honored nor even known in the modern Western World. My own particular formal Vision Quest took the form of the Temagami Vision Quest sponsored by my favorite Jungian Organization, "Journey into Wholeness." It was at once a thrilling experience and sorrow-filled one as well. I left August 31, 2005 and boarded a plane to Toronto. Toronto is a great city: clean, efficient, tidy, and wholly American in most of it's culture (they even have an American Baseball team for crying out loud). I stayed at the "Grand" hotel for a night then rented a car for the drive further North. As I finally got out of Canada, I quickly realized I was now as far north as I'd ever been in my life. The air was cooling and even some of the fall colors began to peak out from behind summer green. I stopped several times along the way, especially in the country side where the real culture of the region begins to emerge. I stopped at a cool Solar power retail/wholesale center and had a good conversation with the owner. I expressed my love for his country already to which he rolled his eyes. "Yep, it's lovely countryside but the government really is poor. My wife is an MD and we recently had to drive 10 hours to Buffalo, NY for an MRI because she had to have one for herself. They suspected cancerous tumors." The man went on about his perception of what he called "Our failed medical system." He and his wife are considering a move to the US to find more opportunities. I drove on for another hour and was stopped by Canada's equivalent of the State Trooper. "Clocked ya doin' 140 in a 100" said the kind officer. "What!" I exclaimed. Only to realize he was talking Kilometers not Miles. I thought I was on Canada's autobahn and just floored it. Unfortunately, the officer wouldn't take my pleas of "ignorant" American and he thought I was trying to bribe him when I offered to take him to Disneyworld. I got my first ticket in another country. I drove on and finally found the town of Temagami 8 hours later. I stayed in a tiny little lodge on Lake Angus, just outside of town. The next day I had a hearty breakfast and drove on to Lakeland Airways, where our group was scheduled to take a series of float planes out to the island where we would be staying. I was on the 5 or 6th plane out. The view was spectacular and we flew deeper into wilderness. Soon houses disappeared and all I could see was forest and lake all the way to the horizon. We landed on the lake and taxied up to the dock. Some of the staff were waiting there for us. Barry Williams, a Jungian Analyst that I knew for several years, was there. "Welcome to the center of creation" he cried as I disembarked. It was good to see him. David, the wilderness/ Native culture expert greeted us as well. David quickly stuck me as a mix of Wyatt Earp, Sitting Bull, and the Sgt. from Full metal Jacket. All of these assumptions proved to be correct but with a surprising mix of Mary Poppins type compassion to boot. The remaining week was spent in dream groups, sleeping on the land, canoeing, sweat lodge ceremonies, Shamanic visionary experiences, being with new friends, terrific food, fasting, ropes courses, bathing in the lake, crying, and laughing. The details almost seem superlative at this point. Suffice it to say that it is among the most powerful self-improvement experiences of my life. I'll never forget it......

10 days later I returned to the world. I was stuck by the harshness of my culture. How the headlines jumped out, how the lights seemed too much. How I longed for my simple 10 day life...

To see photos from my adventure go to http://www.praisethedivine.org/visionquest.htm