About Us
OUR LAND
Victor and Steven are in a place called L'Azotea (Lah-so-TAY-uh) (Spanish for "the terrace"). The name is descriptive of the land's location in a flat clearing above the Chimayó valley in northern New Mexico. Throughout our years here, we have felt an increasing connection to all the beings that inhabit this place - human, animal, plant and mineral. We have also been able to sense the presence of the indigenous peoples who came before us, including the pain and loss they suffered at the hands of the 'conquering' people who arrived to this 'new world' centuries ago. It is our intention to honor the lives and the stories of the Tewa and other Pueblo people in all we do, and to respect the land as they did.
Radiating outward from the pueblo are ... shrines that are linked to the earth navel by a continuous flow of prayers and blessings and that transmit and receive the messages of the spiritual world. Four of them, marked by stones, are located close to the four ceremonial entrances to the pueblo. Four more are represented by the Tsin, the four sacred hills. Pueblos tell their children that these hills are dangerous places, riddled with tunnels, where boogiemen called the Tsave Yoh will take them if they misbehave. The Tsave Yoh, who are also healers of the sick and enforcers of pueblo law, live on the Tsin along with other important spirits. The hill of Tsi Mayoh, from which the Spanish village of Chimayo takes its name, is considered a Tsin by several pueblos, and so is Tun Yoh, or Black Mesa, which rises abruptly beside the Rio Grande between the pueblos of Santa Clara and San Ildefonso.
- From "Enchantment and Exploitation" by William deBuys
Our land is located in the shadow of the hill of Tsi Mayoh, and this serves as a constant reminder of the sacredness and reverence with which the Pueblo people lived.
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VICTOR ARCHULETA
In addition to growing up in the small village of Chimayo, NM, where my ancestors settled in the 1700s, I was educated in nearby Los Alamos, NM, where I was groomed to be an academic professional. After a long career in Information Technology, I decided to make a radical shift.
I have always had a natural affinity for physical contact, instinctively reaching out to provide a soothing touch by holding a hand or touching someone's arm. So when I began exploring new career possibilities, I studied a variety of wellness modalities. I completed training and certification as a yoga teacher, certified reflexologist, 3rd Level Reiki practitioner, training as a Craniosacral therapist, aromatherapist and sound therapist. This built upon the solid understanding of the mechanics of the human body I already had as a result of my undergraduate studies in Bioengineering at UCSD.
As a wellness practitioner, I listen to people's well-being challenges and intentions and help them by providing gentle touch, sound and aromatherapy. Together, we create a space customized for each session, allowing for the release of various restrictions and facilitating a free flow of the body’s various systems - nervous, circulation, lymphatic and subtle energy.
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STEVEN SPRUNG
After graduating as a film major (and psychology minor) from Syracuse University, I moved from my hometown on Long Island, NY to Los Angeles, CA to pursue a career in film and television. Before long, I realized there was a lot more to LA than the film business. I began practicing meditation and was then introduced to my Tai Chi teacher James Wing Woo, who gave martial arts lessons in the gym he built behind his home in Hollywood. This began my long and fruitful period of studying, practicing and now teaching his powerful method of Tai Chi.
My interest in the art and craft of astrology began with the study of esoteric philosophy and later evolved into a more experiential, imaginal and relational approach. This approach to astrology grew out of my participation in a 2-year practitioner program with my mentor Jason Holley.
Guided retreats, workshops, tai chi, meditation, and astrology are my primary methods for helping people evoke a more peaceful feeling within themselves. These, along with my passion for artfully photographing everyday moments, bring me great joy.
To see my photography, please visit StevenSprung.com.