Mind Body Soul

Gold in those hills

Seeking ishwara — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:25:57 +0000

Thank you for focusing on the mountain experience as a way to discover the inner world. This is exactly what we need!

Previous generations built churches. But for us, they are dusty chambers, offering no relief. We’re too sophisticated, for better or worse, to enter them with the enthusiasm and imagination that previous people did. Our devotion to science (scientism?) allows only one space where awe and wonder can still be expressed: nature.

Combine that wonder with sweat and a little risk… And you’ve got modern magic. You’ve got self redefinition. You’ve got creation. This, essentially, is altitude. You climb, and your sweat means you hold empathy for all who toil in the hardpan where you began, only dimly knowing what you were doing.

I was a pale, nerdy kid who hated the outdoors. But years ago, I fell into that beckoning silence seen in the distant forested ridges at dusk. Something is there.

We must go and find it.

(I took this picture at dawn in the Bugaboos, stomach keyed up in knots over a climb of Bugaboo Spire. The weather was an excuse to abseil, mixing disappointment and relief. But the scene before me stuck in my heart and shattered my ability to believe in the cities ever again)

50 Years

Joe Harris — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 23:36:43 +0000

The day before my birthday, my wife asked me to make a wish. I wished to hike a portion of the 50 Year Trail. As we entered the trailhead, a sign marking the 50 Year Trail caused a flashback to my youth. In 1966, on a Boy Scout trip, we visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The site made a lasting impression on me. We hiked to the Colorado River where we camped for the night. We hiked out the next day. I was profoundly moved by the experience.
Many years later in retirement I moved to Utah’s Red Rock Country. I visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on several occasions. Thoughts of hiking to the river again were always present.
In 2016, I hiked down the South Kaibab Trail and lodged at the Phantom Ranch. The fifty year difference took its toll on my knees, but the pleasure of being inside this magnificent wonder was beyond description. My eyes swelled with happy tears. I was back with nature. And while my leg muscles ached, my soul was invigorated.
Five years later on the eve of another birthday, the 50 Year Trail and the Grand Canyon continues to elevate my spirit.

50 Years

amaier — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 20:51:52 +0000

The day before my birthday, my wife asked me to make a wish. I wished to hike a portion of the 50 Year Trail. As we entered the trailhead, a sign marking the 50 Year Trail caused a flashback to my youth. In 1966, on a Boy Scout trip, we visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The site made a lasting impression on me. We hiked to the Colorado River where we camped for the night. We hiked out the next day. I was profoundly moved by the experience.
Many years later in retirement I moved to Utah’s Red Rock Country. I visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on several occasions. Thoughts of hiking to the river again were always present.
In 2016, I hiked down the South Kaibab Trail and lodged at the Phantom Ranch. The fifty year difference took its toll on my knees, but the pleasure of being in this magnificent wonder again was beyond description. My eyes swelled with happy tears. I was back with nature. And while my leg muscles ached, my soul was invigorated.
Five years later on the eve of another birthday, the 50 Year Trail continues to elevate my spirit.

Nature and it’s long term affect on my life and career

Keely — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:17:47 +0000

I take for granted the abundance of nature that has always been at my fingertips. I was born and raised in Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I’ve always had access to a lake: I was living on it or had to walk 5 minutes to take a swim. My childhood memories are of my parents, siblings, and I wading through swamp to find the oldest tree, driving for hours in the Keweenaw Peninsula to find the best patch of berries, or being launched off of my older brother’s shoulders into cool lake water followed by competitions to see who could hold their breath the longest. I moved to Northern Michigan University on the shores of Lake Superior and my life revolving around nature exploded even more. Weeks and weeks were spent finding beaches or camp spots. At the time it was mostly about gathering with friends, but we all had the intention of being outside. I never strayed too far from the water as I moved from college to my first career job. Imagine my shock as I realized the shores of Lake Michigan were mostly private. I began to experience an ounce of what most of the population goes through to have access to nature. After some time, my little sister had moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan for her first big move away from home. More shock entailed when the pollution of the water in that area affected my sister and her boyfriend. It wasnt safe to eat the fish due to all the micro plastic. They eventually moved North to have more access to nature, but the lesson I learned about our water systems never left my mind. Eventually I left my career and went back into the restaurant life I knew and loved. Without my intention, I ended up working for a zero-waste company that used compostable plastics and composted all of its food waste. It wasnt a perfect system but it was making the best effort I have ever seen. I now own my own business and we use compostable plastic even though it is triple the price of the other to-go containers. There are a few other establishments in our area making the switch too. My hope is that it will become the norm and less expensive with more companies using it. I currently live back in the same town I grew up in. Most people here dont give a rip about plastic getting into our water system. I talk about it when the timing is right with an ear that will listen. Otherwise, I hope people see my to-go containers and think about what more they can do to help our human made problems and how they affect the environment.

I kinda jumped right into hiking

Stefani Robin — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 19:47:20 +0000

I kinda jumped right into hiking with my coworker a few years back. We packed snacks and water and just made a day of it. Ginny loved it so much, and she was just a baby.
Now, the family has grown and we have invited more friends. We have had to take less adventures but they are even more memorable.
Hiking makes me feel accomplished and energized. Just one foot in front of the other, even if you did take the “hard experienced” path by accident.

Getting grounded

Andrea — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 15:28:45 +0000

Although I’m not a hicker or camper I do need time in nature to decompress from a hectic schedule. When that time comes I need to find a spot to take off the shoes, sit on the ground with my feet in the creek and listen to what the forest has to offer me. By getting grounded with the earth my whole being, Mind, Body & Soul get replaced with the energy only Mother Nature can provide.

I live coastal

Allison Swezey — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 01:10:15 +0000

I live coastal. My need to be near the water is great. I enjoy walking on the beach, swimming in

Continue readingI live coastal

1,000 Yard Stare

Joe Harris — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 22:55:19 +0000

“Figure It Out” was a throwback for me. Thruhiker Alex Maier had almost made it to the terminus of the infamous Hayduke Trail went he took a wrong turn. This error ultimately cost him another night on the Virgin River. In Episode 10, the look of utter frustration on his face was easy to see. The eyes told the story of his inner feelings.
Many years ago I became disorientated in the jungle. Exhausted and alone, darkness was setting in. A feeling of helplessness washed over me. I worried about matters I could not control. Fortunately my training kicked into gear. Accepting that I would spend another night before pickup, I prepared a hooch and ate what food I had. After some sleep, I awoke to a passing storm. The freshness of new rainfall combined with a little sleep and nourishment changed my disposition. At first light I was fresh again.

Back to Nature

Tyler Harsvick — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 18:51:44 +0000

To me nature is about healing and returning to our roots.

Like many, at the beginning of this pandemic I was not prepared for the implications of being locked indoors for months at a time, separated from the outside world. At first I enjoyed this as I tend to enjoy solitude, but it quickly became an anchor for negativity to attach itself to, whether that be noticing little things you wouldn’t before because of being stuck in the same environment or simply just feeling awful for no reason other than you feel awful.

Like a lot of people I’ve seen and heard from recently I decided I needed to make a change and the first thing I attached to was the outdoors, the reason for this is while stuck inside and basically being told I couldn’t be outside because of the pandemic it triggered this borderline anxiety that I needed to be outdoors.

So that’s what I’ve started to do and I’ve began my healing process to find a new healthy normal for myself and those around me through the outdoors and hiking. We started doing day hikes around south eastern and northern Wisconsin and have now opllanned a trip to the Smokies to go for a 3-4 day backpacking trip to really get back in nature.

Ive realized as I sate my thirst for the outdoors I’m helping heal my mind and my anxieties and depression I’ve built up since the beginning g of quarantine. While it may not be the answer for all I truly believe it’s a good starting point for those who may be feeling like their life is “missing” something, and for me that was the outdoors and connecting with nature again.

I wanna also say thank you to Alex and those involved in your productions because they helped me to truly commit myself to venturing back to the outdoors for the first time since my childhood.

The attached photos are along the escarpment trail at Lake of the Clouds in porcupine mountains in Michigan. A must see for any in the northern Midwest if you ask me.

(One funny pic for the laughs because it’s important to still be yourself in nature too.)

First trip

John bailey — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 02:51:30 +0000

When I was growing up I always wanted to know what was behind that tree or behind that rock how deep is that pond traveling in Michigan you saw a lot of that alongside the road as you were traveling north. As I got older camp and became very fun now as an avid backpacker I get to see what’s behind that rock or behind that tree and I get to see where the trail ends or begins.