 
June 1, 2002
| Acclimation | The
History | The
Scene | The
Contest |
|
 First
I emerged from the BART (Bay Area Transit
System) on Powell Street, and hopped the
#48 Geary city bus. At the foot of
Geary & Lobos, I visited the ocean to
become acclimated to the West Coast again,
after spending over a decade in the desert.
There is a state of being that is
elemental - blending with nature - which
is indigenous to each particular geographical
region, and can only be fully experienced
when you are in tune with that vibe. I
spent a blissful afternoon reuniting with
my Cancerian element, the ocean, and enjoying
its dance, its cleansing, and its whispers
of well-being. I must have looked
like a person contemplating suicide, because
the tears flooded my face, neck, chest &
clothes as soon as I first dug my feet into
the warm sand. I sat at the edge of
the tide, sobbing with appreciation for
God and his creation. I was thankful
for this long overdue pilgrimage, and all
my being joined the sea in its song and
dance. It was a powerful experience.
I vowed to visit my majestic friend,
the ocean, on a much more frequent basis,
and I encourage all earthbound dwellers
to do likewise. It brings you into
a peaceful, spiritual balance. God
forbid that we would neglect any of the
four elements of this earth - the air,
water and fire. It behooves us to
become well acquainted with each of them,
as they complete our being.
They are the four-part harmony of our soul. They are precious and they are
mighty. |
 I
said good-bye to the sea, and slowly walked
down the hill to Fulton Street, walked up
the hill past the outer edge of Golden Gate
Park. This famous park was the blessed
site of 1967's Summer
of Love - the early outcry for love
and peace coming from the Flower Children,
the Hippies, the Revolution. This
is where peaceful activism was first recognized,
and the world knew it would never be the
same. A whole generation of peace-seekers
were beginning to alter society and re-examine
values as never before. Changes were
in the air - the world was evolving. I
caught the #4 Fulton city bus, rode to Masonic
& transferred to the #43 Haight. There
it was -- is -- what I refer to as the "New"
Haight. The district which was the
hub of everything hip in the late 60's -- |
 Then
...
1969
- Haight Ashbury. A small bohemian
neighborhood in San Francisco, the Haight
Ashbury District was little more than a
few square blocks which stretched from the
edge of Golden Gate Park for a half-mile
down Haight Street .One could find cafes,
head shops , poster shops, hip boutiques,
the Oracle office and the Straight Theatre.
Running parallel to Haight Street was the
Panhandle, a very narrow slice of Golden
Gate Park. The Panhandle was the sight of
numerous free concerts by the local band,
protest rallies, and the place where the
Diggers fed new arrivals daily. With the
advent of the media proclaiming the "Summer
of Love", the Haight's population zoomed
from 15,000 in 1965 to nearly 100,000 by
the summer of '67. The burden that this
placed on the neighborhood's local resources
was too much; the small hippie community
was overwhelmed, and the neighborhood quickly
deteriorated under the social strain. No
one who lived in the Haight Ashbury really
needed a car. The neighborhood was little
more than a six-block area centered on Haight
Street. The "Far Out" clothing
shops, boutiques selling candles, smoking
gadgets, batiking and tie dye supplies,
and countless inventive "trippy toys";
the Psychedelic Shop, the Straight Street
Theatre, the Oracle office, 710 Ashbury;
Golden Gate Park, all were within walking
distance, when you wanted to hear music,
the Fillmore, Avaon, and Longshoreman's
Hall were no more than a few miles away.
Since everyone knew everyone, a ride was
never hard to find. .... more
history |
 Now
...
There
will always be remnants of the early days
- you see posters, storefront signs, clothes
and shops in the timeless psychedelic artistry
that was born out of the counterculture
of the 60's. You can still buy a "Love
Burger" and you can see the wonderful
apartment buildings with their bay windows
- hey, wonder where that term originated?
You can imagine Jim Morrison and friends
smoking pot, discussing the human condition
and prophesying their demise. You
know the ghost of Janis is in one of those
rooms slugging down Jack Daniels and bitching
about the politics of the music business.
Now that energy is gone. The idealism
is gone. The key players are gone.
I saw tourists, and young proprietors
of the 70's television and Nintendo generation
-- not dreamers and activists, but people
imitating life as dished out by media, and
eating food dished out by the establishment.
The hope that we could change the
world is but a phantom, but it is not dead.
I pray that a newer, stronger vision
will ignite the hearts of our New Age babies,
and that these young people will rise once
again to challenge the status quo, to bring
about a better world, and to create a blueprint
for life in our emerging future. The
voices of the 60's can still be heard, and
as long as the beat goes on, there is hope.
All we need is a spark and the flame
will return! |
| The
Contest - Sorry! Contest is Closed. |
| I
brought back memorabilia from Haight Ashbury
- T-shirts, hats, magnets, etc. These
items are now being offered as prizes
in the following contest. To enter, send
us your list of ten ways we can promote
the LOVE VIBE - acts of love, peace, harmony
and practical ways to bring about a more
cohesive society. These ideas may
include letters to Congressmen, community
activities, and/or everyday behaviors that
can be applied by anyone who is in sync
with the vision of a peaceful society. Simply
complete this handy form and submit it to
our panel. We will proudly
display the winning entries, and notify
you with information on how to claim your
prize. Meanwhile, keep the LOVE VIBE
alive and pray for the coming age. Our
world is what we make it - and the spirits
of visionaries past are still with us. May
we all contribute a note, a phrase, a chorus
in the song of LOVE. If we sing loud
enough and long enough, we will be heard
and the world will respond. |
| Peace,
My Brothers & Sisters ... MissDeal |
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