PHOTOS: The Journey to Set Phineas Free in Colorado April 2024

Phineas' original "Valley of Spiritual Growth" is located on Waldo Canyon Loop Trail #640. The Trail and the Trailhead Parking lot are located approximately two miles west of the the Manitou Springs bypass, on US Highway 24, westbound from Colorado Springs. Unfortunately, both the Waldo Canyon Trail and the trailhead parking area are closed to the public due to the Waldo Canyon fire that happened several years ago. The Waldo Canyon fire was first spotted on June 23, 2012. That was when the 18-day battle started. More than 18,000 acres were burned, a total of 347 homes were destroyed, and two lives were lost. According to Forest Service, the trail may not be reopened to the public for many years, if ever. 

I had a conversation with my dear friend Ashlesha about the energy of the planets, and it’s no coincidence that a Total Solar Eclipse happened during this journey with my dad’s ashes. One of the many things I love about Ashelsha is her intuition when something is going on with me, even if we haven’t talked. When we connect, I find immediate relief from her thoughtful explanations of how the planets and astrology are influencing our personal lives, and I listen to her words with amazement. She trusts her gut and feels her feelings deeply. Something I need to work on, apparently. Reflecting on my conversation with her before even flying to Colorado, I now see how her intuition helped guide me in the right direction, taking this journey with my dad’s ashes alone. Learning from her that the Moon impacts emotional energy made me consider what might happen after the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun during today’s Solar Eclipse. After a little research, I realize that I’ve never been able to understand what I feel, let alone why I feel it.

With one click of the mouse on the first Solar Eclipse article that appeared, I knew this journey with my dad’s ashes is as much about me as it is about him. I thought I was bringing him to the Valley of Spiritual Growth, but it turns out that he brought me here. The article began with the statement that “this occurrence is not merely a fleeting moment of darkness but a harbinger of change, ushering in transformative energies that can profoundly influence our lives.” Um, yes! The author went on to say that during this solar eclipse, “the spotlight is directed towards your inner world, and you must search beyond the surface to discover the hidden recesses of your emotional foundations. It will bring to light unsolved issues and unconsciously expressed emotions. This can be a period of family transformation for some.” With everything that’s happening recently with my family - and also on this journey - truer words have never been spoken.

Because I sometimes need to be hit over the head with things, The Space Foundation's annual Space Symposium is happening right here right now in Colorado Springs … on the same day as the Solar Eclipse! My resort is filled with global leaders in the space industry. The moment I questioned if I should rush away to be at the (now inaccessible) Waldo Canyon during the Eclipse, I overheard someone say that one of the leaders from the Space Symposium told her earlier this morning that car accidents are one of the most common occurrences during an Eclipse. Question asked, questioned answered! I took her words as my guide to stay at Garden of the Gods for the duration of the Eclipse, placing my dad's ashes outside between the Eclipsing Sun and his favorite mountain, Pikes Peak. And then, add “Phineas Magic.” My dad was known for sharing his wisdom, his power of positive thinking, and his love and respect for Mother Nature. He also regularly expressed his love for me and the beauty of our father/daughter bond. In his Valley of Spiritual Growth book, he wrote: “Tonya is God’s gift to Phineas. Father and daughter bonding as one in the V.O.S.G. Tonya is awesome & Phineas is lucky.” Again, wow! Alone here in the mountains with his ashes, I feel we are becoming one, and his love is now my trusted guide for much-needed spiritual growth. I am the lucky one.

The moment I stepped outside my patio door at Garden of the Gods this morning, I was face to face with a beautiful group of deer hanging out by my room. We have been looking at each other for three days, so I decided that the one who stares back at me the most is my Spirit Animal. When I checked out of the resort in the afternoon, the young woman at the desk talked with me about the same deer, telling me she named him Roger. With a tear in my eye, I told her Roger is one of my dad’s best friends who passed away many years ago. A young man then told me that the deer are regulars at the resort, except one new deer that joined them the same day I checked in. Speechless. Another unexpected (and transformative) experience today was opening my email in the evening to find a message from my ex-boyfriend with the subject line “coin.” He wrote, “I know these are ‘limited edition’ so I want to offer it back to you.” After I replied to say the silver dollar is his to keep and that I am in Colorado with my dad’s ashes, he wrote, "Your dad’s coin resurfaced today somehow and the timing seems beyond coincidence with you setting him free now.” It’s hard to describe the transformation that followed. What I can say is the Solar Eclipse article accurately predicted that today “will bring to light unsolved issues and unconsciously expressed emotions.” I had unresolved feelings and fears related to the ex. Thanks to Phineas Magic and his silver dollar, it all subsided after I easily resisted communicating further with the ex, closed his email, and slept well knowing for the first time that he will forever remain in my rear view mirror. As I reflect on the small group of people who will join me on this journey in just a few short days, I can’t help but wonder how their experiences here will impact them. I am forever changed for the better with each passing day … and maybe they will be, too.