intention and attentionWe were recently introduced to the works of Walter and Lao Russell, and to Swannanoa, which housed their philosophy and spirituality school for 50 years. Not only were we deeply moved by the legacies of both, we hope that you will be as well. First things first… Swannanoa. Swannanoa sits toward the top of Afton Mountain, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, within a stretch of the Allegheny Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountain Range. Swannanoa is near the intersection of the southernmost entrance to Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park and the northernmost entrance to Blue Ridge Parkway/Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That should be enough to explain why this is a magical portal of energy. Now we’ll share a very truncated version of how Swannanoa palace came into existence. Basically, it was built in 1912 as a love letter from Richmond’s prominent lawyer, James Dooley, to his wife, Sallie May. It served as the couple’s summer home and every detail was chosen to honor James’ love for Sallie May and Sallie May’s love of the swan. What happened when we stepped onto the property? Tears. A flood of unconditional love. A flurry of multi-sensory inputs that reminded us that we were “home”. The trees whispered their welcome and we sang to them as the birds sang to us. The house spoke of loving memories infused into its walls and we felt the invitation inside, the lure of a century+ of kindred spirits who paved the way to that moment. The gardens rippled with feminine energy and Shannon even caught a glimpse of a woman in a yellow dress and 1950s style hat walking the grounds, sensing the nurturing that had been part of the garden’s past. A glimpse inside the palace connected us to a world that no longer exists, yet reverberates from the walls. The walls have secrets, you know. The walls are full of the energy of 100+ years of love in action. Our minds recreated scenarios that filled Swannanoa with life, with love, with legacy. It happened in a split second, without contemplation and without demand. It just happens. INTENTION is everything. When we “build” our actions on the foundation of love, love is the only thing left behind. Our next introduction to love as action came when we stepped into The Russell Museum in downtown Waynesboro VA. Far beyond the artwork are undertones and overtones (and sidetones!) of absolute divine inspiration, a philosophy and science far ahead of its time. At the center is Walter Russell, a true Renaissance man. He appeared to be of the mindset that “I can’t NOT do this”! He was a master of tapping into the unknown and bringing it to life in the here and now. If Walter is the center, the heart is Lao Russell. A woman who, not only stood fully capable and confident in her own badassery, but also fully embraced her innate power of offering balance and harmony. They exemplified a pure union of masculine and feminine as individuals and in their lives together. Lao brought a softening to Walter’s complex scientific concepts, which forever changed the presentation of their teachings carried forward through The University of Science and Philosophy. The non-coincidence that the Dooleys and the Russells ended up in the same town is undeniable proof of divine intervention. The Russell’s love for their purpose and for their marriage was exactly what Swannanoa was designed to support. And their love for Swannanoa ripples through the staff and the supporters of The Museum. It should not be a surprise that The University leased Swannanoa for 50 years, housing Walter and Lao and hosting students who were called for a deeper understanding of the energy of Love that underlies every thing. Even in the sciencey-est of Walter’s teachings, the thread of something absolutely pure and tappable remains. When you hear the stories of Walter and Lao, they sound like they modeled pure presence and complete fascination with life. Whether you were 4 or 94, we sensed that they would both believe there was something to learn from you. The legacy they left met the legacy of Swannanoa, different yet unmistakably connected to the same Source. Both the Dooleys and the Russells loved themselves, loved each other, loved Swannanoa, and loved life. ATTENTION transfers intention. When we focus on what matters most — usually that which is unseen and unknown — we find the magic and miracles of The All That Is. We hope you might recognize some of the love letters you’ve received, those that might not have arrived in written form. Feel into the magic of their intention when you give them your attention. Maybe you will even find their ripples that have ventured far beyond you. Until the next, Shannon & Bob
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