Marshall Beach Trail

Marshall Beach Trail
2.5 miles
2 hours
Start: Marshall Beach Parking Lot
End: Marshall Beach Parking Lot Includes: Marshall Beach Trail, Marshall Beach

Hike 7
February 1, 2013
Seven-of-Swords
Independence

Living our best life is an act of independence. To do so, we must break from the status quo and address our unique vision. Society gives us structure and comfort; if we never break from it, we mirror and perpetuate the status quo.

This would be alright if the status quo supported harmony and well-being for all living creatures, but it does not; we need to think and then do something different if we are to restore health to our natural systems.

The seven-of-swords symbolizes the act of independent thinking. Remember that thought precedes action in conscious creation, so independent, conscious thought is essential to independent conscious creation.

Pondering this, I headed to Marshall Beach Trail. I started from the parking lot at the trailhead and headed down the 1.2 mile trail. It starts high above the bay. The Pacific is to the left and Tomales Bay to the right. There are cow gates to go through and a blessed lack of cows.

Eventually the trail winds down into a grove of cypress and pine sheltering the delicious little cove Marshall Beach shares with Lairds Landing. It will be worth it to check the tide charts and do a hike in the future between the two via the beach.

I became giddy from the beauty of the blue water sparkling through the trees. The bathroom inhabits the nicest spot of all, which is unfortunate, unless you have to go to the bathroom.

The beach stretches in both directions. I headed north and was excited to see how far I could walk along the rocky shore. I discovered driftwood trees and a fire pit. Low tide exposes a whole world of underwater creatures.

Most creatures live according to the rhythms of the collective. As humans we are subject to the same natural rhythms of sea, moon, sun and stars. I found myself wondering how other creatures exert their independence.

Does the jellyfish end-up washed ashore because of a personal decision? Often singular whales find their way into the bay for a youthful adventure. What drives them?

Independent activity in humans exhibits the most profound influence, because of our mind-boggling capacity to imagine and create. We manipulate natural resources into new forms in order to fulfill our needs. This is what makes us distinctly human. To ask us to not do this is to ask us not to be human.

If we are going to continue to exist on this planet, we must learn to express our humanity while maintaining a healthy eco-system for all creatures.

Whenever I get to feeling nervous about a card, I look straight to the heart of what is making me uneasy. In the case of the seven-of-swords, it is leaving the comfort of society. Going-out on my own feels dangerous. If I go out on my own, will I be supported?

The seven-of-swords offers a clue. Notice the guy is holding five swords; two are firmly stuck in the ground. This symbolizes the tie we have with others. We do not exist in isolation. Our thoughts are wrought from the collective. Our individual thoughts are a variation of the collective. No matter how individual we try to become, we are always tied to our kinfolk and communities.

This knowledge quiets my anxiety. If I am perusing my own course with a true desire for the betterment of all, I have every reason to expect support. We come together when our needs overlap and help each other, like when my friends show-up to walk a leg with me or give me a ride.

We will always be connected to others.

I feel kinship for the creatures I encounter on the walk; they are all solitary adventurers. Did anyone hear the cypress fall? What about the jellyfish, shining like a lonely piece of sea glass? What of the crab in his hard shell standing starkly against the sand? A lone turkey vultures glides above: surfing the thermals.

We are all living our lives alone. Everyday, we must make choices. A conscious choice is an act of defiance against the fear of being alone. No matter who we are, we will not be abandoned. We are connected to the collective if only through ties of common species. Upon death, we are all reabsorbed into the collective of our Mother Earth.

So, if in order to create the life we envision we must turn from convention and seek our own happiness, know we are still connected. It is through this connection that we will lead each other to the wonders that are waiting to be discovered just around the bend.