Hola Amigos!
I am writing from Montana, one of my first stops since returning to the U.S. after seven months in Mexico and Guatemala. The air is clear, the wildlife is active, and the fresh drinking water… oh my gosh, the water! I was having vivid dreams about drinking from the tap at the Ranch while sticking to only purified, bottled water in Mexico. We have so much to be grateful for here, starting with the most basic building blocks of
healthy living.
 My trip to the Feathered Pipe was a quick one this year—a whirlwind of hugs, a visit to the Stupa and the Loop Trail, breakfast at the No Sweat Cafe in Helena, and a yard sale to downsize and prep my car for another cross country road
trip. After several years working on-site in summers and year-round on the Dandelion Effect Podcast, I am embarking on a new adventure to Europe and officially tying a beautiful ribbon on the podcast project.
We began the podcast in the fall of 2020 as an avenue for positive outreach and community engagement in the heat of the pandemic, and since then, we have collected dozens of thoughtful reviews, received more than 25,000 downloads, and published 48 episodes. But more than quantifiable measurements, I feel a true sense of accomplishment for the process as a whole. From the idea bubbling up on the back deck of the lake cabin, to learning every single phase of recording, production,
editing—and just going for it. Learning on the fly. Imagining what’s possible and giving it a try.
Courage to Dream
 I recognize that this type of courage is actually the same energy that birthed the Feathered Pipe Ranch in the first place. When the founding group dared to dream of a better world, a
more heart-centered way of relating to ourselves and others. There was no road map. No template. Just a steadfast dedication to exploration, education and service. In the podcast finale, Crystal recalls that in India’s final weeks of life, she said, “We didn’t even know we made it all up, did we?” Oftentimes, making it up as we go along is the only option we have to create something entirely new.
So, here at the close of another Feathered Pipe creative collaboration, I give thanks to Crystal, for carrying on her mother’s knack for seeing the best in people and trusting their potential; to Eric for being my right-hand man every step of the way; and to all the other friends and community members who donated to this project and made it possible to create from a place of love and curiosity. Enjoy Ode To The Feathered Pipe Ranch: Dandelion Effect Podcast Finale.
The Dandelion Effect Podcast will remain on all platforms. Please go back and listen to the episodes you missed. Continue to mine for the gold within and learn from the guests who so courageously shared their lives with us. Many of the conversations are as relevant now as they were when we first aired them.
Have an amazing summer. Muchas gracias por todo!
Andy Vantrease
*Featured image credits: Jonathan H T Lee of subtledream.com
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 Ode To The Feathered Pipe Ranch: Dandelion Effect Podcast Finale
Today’s podcast episode is the final episode of the Dandelion Effect Podcast as we know it. We are tying a beautiful ribbon on a project that began in the fall of 2020 as an avenue for continued positive outreach and community engagement in the heat of the pandemic.
It’s an ode to the Ranch: the changes we’ve been through over the years, the gratitude for this project, and a chance to hear from staff, board members and family members, why they believe this little retreat center in the forest of Helena, MT is, in fact, a life-changing place.
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 Yoga & Ayurveda For Vibrant Aging: Moving Beyond Resiliency To Thrivancy - Baxter Bell, MD & Melina Meza
Join Baxter and Melina for a rich week of exploration and learning around how the tools of yoga and Ayurveda provide an unparalleled approach to vibrant aging, meeting the unwelcome challenges of life with resilience, and supporting growing deeper as a person with age.
Each day will be a combination of yoga practices, talks on thrivancy, flourishing, resilience, and Ayurveda to meet you where you are at this time. The setting of Feathered Pipe Ranch in the mountains of Montana is the perfect setting to unplug, unwind, replenish and get inspired with two of the most experienced and gifted teachers around.
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Contact Us |
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Feathered Pipe Foundation
P.O. Box 1682
Helena, MT 59624
(406) 442-8196
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