Reflecting on Thanksgiving

Back in the land of red rocks after time away in L.A. Thanksgiving is always a special time for me, I can definitely appreciate a day devoted to gratitude. Even if its origins are less than noble. I gave thanks for being able to see another such day, I gave thanks for my family, my friends, near and far. I am grateful for the beauty of nature in this place. The hills, the canyons, the trees, the beach, the birds, the flowers, the dogs. The blissfully clear sky.

Fun and reflection in the California sun. I gave thanks for a year full of blessings. This Thanksgiving period was novel in that I got to prep my belly for the day of feasting by visiting the fabled food trucks of L.A. Beyond the beauty of dumplings, we discovered a truck with sartorial savories. William B's truck is a very cute idea. Too bad they don't have clothes for men yet.

But shopping is not the reason for this journey. It was a good time to be with family, to reflect on our shared experiences. Especially, the down-home flavors and inherited challenges that have made us the strong people we are today. Surprisingly, I learned the value of dancing around this holiday. We danced for gratitude and we danced to work off our food. From now on, I will do my best to keep this new tradition in years to come. Maybe it should be a part of every holiday for me.

This life is a gift and I hope you all enjoyed time with family, friends or even your favorite football team. I hope you spent some time outside, despite the weather conditions. May we all grow together in love and gratitude. Ashe!

Enchantment of Long Canyon Trail

I hope you enjoy the photos of this most enchanting place. One of my cousins recently wrote on facebook how he wished he were a person that could laze about in bed. I had hoped the same for myself. It was an overcast, unusually cool Sunday here in Sedona. Perfect conditions for sleeping long into the day. But it didn't happen for me. Those red hills and pine trees kept calling me. They would not let me sleep. I could enjoy no peace until I got up and drove toward the best trails. I had passed Long Canyon before and promised to go back when I had time. Since I didn't sleep in, I had time.

I don't know what I expected of this trail, with a name like "Long Canyon" but I found a surprise. This place is a continuing landscape of enchanted forest. Mostly Pinion pine, but also some of the giant red pines. Red and ochre cliffs overhead casting a light net of shadow, which must create the conditions for the forest. It was perfectly humid in the forest, even though I saw no sign of a creek or stream. It had rained recently and I am sure that helped. But there were bushes, flowers and trees which look like they had been well watered for a long time. Surprise, surprise, I even encountered some mosquitoes. My first in Arizona.

The real key to this adventure, was how the space felt. I was all alone, no other humans for miles. Just me and some mourning doves, and the bees that kept following me at about 3 feet behind me. I think it was too wet and cool for our lizard friends. But I did see signs of small cats and some prints that looked like a bear. Maybe the muddy path preserved tracks longer than normal. I don't know. I do know that I felt so safe, and welcomed and pampered.It felt like I had my own private forest with lots of natural toys and places to play.

This was very different than my other hiking experiences. I felt a continual sense of peace, even as I listened to the bees following me. I felt like I could walk forever. The path had ended abruptly and I was a little startled. The guide book said it was a 3 hour trip in and out of the Canyon. I was sure that I was only in the middle. Then i discovered that a tree had fallen over in the middle of the path. I don't know how I re-discovered the path, but I did. That's when things really opened up. I began to see lots of natural phenomena that looked constructed. I took some pictures of the trees which fell in such a way to form the perfect structure, or trees and a woodpile perfectly set around a beautiful white stone. Bushes and trees opening into a special path, and so on. These were intriguing discoveries. It shifted my thinking to gratitude. That shift energized my body, especially my feet and legs. I felt like I was floating, though I was most likely walking very fast.

At the end of my journey, my feet and legs were more tired than when I climb those steep hills. I was so ready to take off my hiking boots and walk in my bare feet. I did not. But maybe I covered more distance than I had suspected. Anyway, I took enough pictures to create a photo album for this trail. And I did some Ki Gong along and at the end of the trail. Love it, love it, love it.

So, it was well worth the lost sleep. By the time I left, the sun was heating up and bicyclists were starting to hit nearby trails. I went at the right time to have the perfect weather and enchanted experience on Long Canyon Trail.

Yes. I am still watching myself.Reflecting on the thoughts and emotions that flow through my brain. Actively, gratitude is the bridge that brings us back to the middle path. No matter what we experience, it is shaped by our level of gratitude. I offer gratitude to the trees, birds, rocks, hills, flowers and bugs of Long Canyon; manifestations of Mother Earth.

Discovering Schnebly Hill Road

I decided to take a short hike this morning. I headed down Schnebly Hill Road with the intention of taking the trail adjoining Huckaby Trail, but there was a big film crew there with lots of people and big white trucks. So, I kept driving...down the bumpy, rocky road. Finding for the next trail proved a little difficult because there was another film crew set up along the road. Doh!

I kept driving, occasionally glancing at the breathtaking views, until I arrived a set of small round rock formations. I needed to get out and move my legs. I said "hello" to a jeep full of tourists and strapped on my hiking boots. I walked up the path and went to the top of each of the rocks, enjoying the views. Even though it was a short climb, I felt the boost of challenge in my lungs and beating heart. Walking close to the edge, I found a nice spot to sit. I relaxed, breathed deeply and practiced brain wave vibration for a short while. With a renewed sense of clarity, I fixed my gaze on the rocks and valley below.

Feeling stronger, I walked back down the hill to the road and decided to walk for a while. I greeted the beautiful Datura bush at the base of the rocks and turned toward the road. Even though it was a wide, open road. The angle of its ascension and the views around me reminded me that I was hiking in the wilderness. As I focused on my Dahn Jon I felt power course through my legs. There was a sense of relief as if I had not stretched them in weeks. My body is telling me that I have to be consistent with my suhaeng. I was enjoying this walk and felt like I could stay on this road all day. However, I could see that time was moving faster than I was. I had to turn around, go home and get ready for work. I encountered a giant hawk on my return walk. His wing span seemed as wide as my arm span. I mimicked his movements as he soared above me and then glided toward a cliff to land. Even before seeing him, I felt the wind at this elevation embrace me with its gentle coolness. Seeing the hawk gave me a sense of what it must feel like for those creatures to ride the wind. Love.

I joyfully returned on the bumpy road. I did not get to climb Schnebly Hill, but I did see many trails along the way. I smiled genuinely at the film crews on my return. If not for them, I would not have enjoyed my little adventure in a new place. Everyone one we encounter is deserving of our gratitude in some way. Ashe!

Return to Mystic Trail

On Sunday and Monday I paid return visits to Mystic Trail. Small, quick, conveniently beautiful Mystic. The trail with lots of happy energy. I chose this trail because of time constraints on Sunday. I returned again on Monday because I was excited about how much ground I could cover in a short time and I wanted to explore some more.

I had discovered some tributary trails. Namely, one trail leading toward the top. On Sunday, I was only able to ascend part of the way. On Monday, after Ki Gong in the park, I was joined by a new friend. We found that the tributary did not take us to the top, but took us deeper in the mountain of rock formations. Spectacular scenery with super-size views. And we returned before we could follow the trail to its conclusion. Maybe this is where it meets up with some of the larger trails in the area.

I hope you enjoy the photos. With the onset of the Monsoon, it's a little cloudy and the quality of light in the morning is harder to balance. This trail is certainly full of energy. My heart was lifted and reverberated with joy, especially after the post-Ki Gong hike. I felt connected to and supported by the earth like never before. My legs, hips and lower back felt solidly grounded--a physically empowering feeling, which made my heart feel light.

I think the energy of the full moon might have boosted this feeling. Before the sun came out, I saw the full moon floating above Cathedral Rock as I drove along the highway. All the Datura bushes along the way were standing at attention to the moon.
The scent of the Pinion and Juniper rolled up from the ground like a furnace blast. These phenomena filling my senses.

My Monday morning co-hiker brought me down to earth from my dreamworld by pointing out how some people were not living lightly on this land. At one point, some neighborhoods and the highway were visible below the trail. He told me about the blight or extra pressure introduced by some of these houses. Many of them luxury dwellings with un-ecofriendly swimming pools and extreme air conditioning. At another point he showed me a bunch of sightseers who may have been brought into that valley by 4 Wheel Drive Tour operators. He said there were places where the rocks had become black from the repeated assault of the vehicles. It made me think, if we can't get this kind of thing in balance here, in Sedona, it will be difficult for people to adopt a gentler lifestyle in our urban areas. But fear not, Paradise is not lost. There are plenty of opportunities for people to build and think differently around this special land. Maybe the economic downturn has slowed real estate development to a more contemplative place. Maybe the friends of the earth have a stronger voice in this community. Maybe earth friendly design has become a premium selling point, like the now mainstreamed idea of organic food. Maybe...

I will keep my eyes open as I smile. I will enjoy the journey and share my findings with you. Have a blessed day!