Sweet Relief

In the midst of personal transition and change, I am all the more reminded of how fundamental my connection to the natural world is to my ability to get out of my busy mind and into my calm body. After four days in the wilderness with Sara Hunter, fellow ARC guide and co-facilitator of this fall’s Calm Mind: Strong Heart rock climbing retreat, the confusion and questions that had accompanied me to the trailhead were gone. It’s not that I had sorted things out in my head, or that any questions were answered, it’s that my mind had bowed to the wisdom of the heart, and my body took the lead. My capacity to hold the questions expanded so that they could be lightweight additions to my backpack and no longer vying for the role of internal compass. What sweet relief.

Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, WY

Sara taking in the view on top of Pingora Peak 

There’s more to say about these experiences, and I’m keeping a personal blog to do so, but for the time being, Aspen Roots newsletters are going to be short and sweet, with reminders of upcoming offerings as well as invitations to get outside and tap into your own embodiment of the natural world. 

This month’s invitation, to choose a time to be outside in a way that feels nurturing to you but also pushes you a bit to have to step out of your normal flow. Perhaps that’s sitting by a stream, feet in the water while your phone stays behind in the car, or maybe that’s taking a little more time on your weekend bike ride and adding that extra climb in that you think you’re not quite ready for. Once you have removed yourself from the pressures of the cognitive world, I invite you to notice what happens in your body. Both during… and afterwards. What’s different? And what does your body tell you that it needs more of? This is not a question to be thought through, but rather to be felt.

Here’s to summertime adventure, sweetness, and greater embodiment.