Back-to-back hikes the past two days gifted the healing power of flowers. Purple ones, blue ones, white ones, yellow ones, pink ones, fringed ones, striped ones with waves of wild blue phlox fragrance wafting on the breeze. That mixture of jasmine and lavender smell is intoxicating, or seems to be, as I wandered through woodlands laughing with joy.
Today I forgot my phone in the car. I use it as a backup camera for my Nikon or take videos with it. There were so many videos I wanted to take today and yet, it was very freeing not having that distraction. There was no cell service, so not from texts or anything, but just another gadget to keep up with. Somehow not having it freed me to be more present and open to a different way of seeing. A different way of being and more available to listen…to the wind stirring the forest, the bees buzzing, to the heart of the mountains as they whispered…Welcome Home.
I have a confession to make. Anyone that follows my writing and photography knows I hike. I have a deep love for the trails and forests that said trails meander through in the Smoky Mountains. But I don’t just hike…I dance. And since truth is a light I bear, I also sing and have been known to play one of my flutes to the creeks, trees, rocks, and today I played for a great blue heron.
It was a moment of flow, where the music of the water and the song of my soul came into harmony. I was smiling as I played in the blissful state.
Standing on a large rock beside the creek, I recalled feeling this open in Ireland when the wind was playing standing fence pipes and I sat in the lush grass in the 5000 year old stone fort and wrote in my diary: we are like flutes, with Spirit the wind and if we open ourselves, we can be in universal harmony and allow Spirit to play us, to move us. So….I was remembering that moment and feeling that inner flow and harmony when a beautiful great blue heron flew within a few feet of me on her way to a favorite rock somewhere upstream. There’s no way to capture that image other than with words and simply closing my eyes and seeing her fly, hearing the water and flute…feeling the Oneness of us all.
Magic happens when we can be in a place of neutral stillness, with no agenda, and just follow the energy as it arises within and around us. I have received a lot of guidance about being neutral lately, of not putting myself in a position against anyone, but being in neutral and allowing that stillness, that stillpoint, to unfold. If we hook into the chaos, we feed it. So it’s a balancing act of learning to be neutral, finding stillpoint within, and staying in that place. Maybe that’s unconditional Love.
My friend Katherine describes it like this: “True Love is Neutral. True love has no polarity. As we strive to seek that point of stillness, to hold that point of stillness as an anchor, a fulcrum, a central point of balance, around which the chaos of polarity can bring itself to Quiet, and fold itself into the same resonance of stillness…until there only exists the Neutral, the True Love.” I like her explanation. A lot.
Something special happens when I allow myself the freedom to sing, dance, and play my flute in these sacred places. I consciously acknowledge the spirits of the places, the pure essence of life, and allow myself to celebrate them and all life. There’s so much we have to grieve about in this time of chaos, but there is also so incredibly much to celebrate.
One of the old growth trees along Ramsey Cascades Trail
What has made you dance lately? What songs are you singing? How has your soul expressed itself? Find a way to celebrate the beauty, even as the old paradigm crumbles. Refuse to hook into the chaos because it’s counting on us to feed it with anger, hatred, and fear. Step away from that trap. Feed your soul beauty and share that experience with the world.
There is a moss-covered log I love to visit when hiking one of the higher altitude trails in a nearby national park. It is within 30 feet of the heavily-used trail and the area is open around it, with trees but no underbrush.
Each time I visit the tree, I sit on it, still my mind, and listen. I find myself merging into the energy of the forest.
In the times I’ve paused there, I’ve watched as many, many people walk past. Thru-hikers on the AT, spring breakers, families, solo hikers. Loud, quiet, chatty. Never has anyone seen me…except for one child that was looking everywhere at the beauty. She smiled at me as if she understood exactly what was happening within me. She seemed to understand the forest’s magic, too.
When we become so focused on ‘getting there’ in our life, we totally miss the beauty all around us, the miracles that happen every day. Our destination becomes the holy grail, when the actual grail is found in every step. Every pause. Every detour.
Perhaps the ultimate happiness and joy comes from letting go of the destination and surrendering to the magic of the present. The unfolding of little miracles that happen when we stop and know the power of every breath.
Over the course of 12 days away from work, I finished a goal I set to hike each day. I called my self-challenge, The Twelve Hikes of Christmas. Over the course of this time, I hiked a total of 57.63 miles and had an elevation gain of 9302 feet. No records, but that wasn’t the reason I did this.
I chose a word to describe each hike and this is what I ended up with, in order: Celebration, Foundation, Challenge, Beauty, Fun, Recovery, Reconnection, Adventure, Solitude, Expansive, Grief, Peaceful.
The overall takeaways from the challenge were: Setting goals helps me maintain momentum; Nature is the ultimate ‘everything’ for me; being able to adapt to changes brings joy.
I hiked easy trails, icy trails, challenging trails. I saw devastating loss of grandmother trees. Every experience was valued.
As I hiked, I worked on getting clear on my path forward and how I want to contribute to raising of consciousness on the planet. But mostly, I simply enjoyed being outdoors in places of amazing beauty.
High winds or icy conditions on the road through the national park hindered some hikes I envisioned doing. I didn’t get to hike a favorite trail I really wanted to hike. The one day I could have, I chose a new trail and found it might be a new favorite. Moving forward in life, I was reminded to trust my intuition and how things come together. It will be exactly what I need and want.
I have been in a magical world of Nature for 12 days, so the next challenge is to stay peaceful and grounded as I move back into the muggle world of a ‘job.’ Prior to my time off, I was struggling to go outside and walk after eight-hour work days. I need to prioritize going outside each day and enjoying Nature, no matter what. This is vital for my wellbeing.
Day
Date
Location
Word
Elevation Gain
Mileage
1
Dec 21
Oconaluftee River Trail
Celebration
52 feet
3.26 miles
2
Dec 22
Deep Creek
Foundation
243 feet
3.51 miles
3
Dec 23
Lonesome Pine
Challenge
2454 feet
6.88 miles
4
Dec 24
Ramsey Cascades
Beauty
2323 feet
7.95 miles
5
Dec 25
Jump Off—AT
Fun
1588 feet
6.55 miles
6
Dec 26
Oconaluftee River Trail
Recovery
46 feet
3.28 miles
7
Dec 27
Bradley Fork—Hitching Post Falls
Reconnection
466 feet
5.87 miles
8
Dec 28
Deep Creek/Indian Creek
Adventure
715 feet
8.02 miles
9
Dec 29
Oconaluftee River/Blue Ridge Parkway
Solitude
194 feet
3.11 miles
10
Dec 30
Williams Pulpit Bartram Trail
Expansive
1093 feet
4.12 miles
11
Dec 31
Asheville Botanical Gardens
Grief
102 feet
1.2 miles
12
Jan 1
Kituwah
Peaceful
26 feet
3.88 miles
Bartram TrailView from Williams PulpitGrandmother Tree at Williams PulpitBartram TrailMy friend Angel and me on the Bartram TrailView from the Blue Ridge ParkwayEight-point buck on Indian Creek TrailYearling in Deep Creek Bradley ForkBradley ForkOconaluftee RiverAT from Newfound Gap to the Jump OffATNear the Jump OffJump Off trailJump OffATGrandmother Tree on Ramsey Cascades TrailRamsey Cascades TralRamsey Cascades TrailPure joy at Ramsey CascadesRamsey CascadesRamsey CascadesRamsey CascadesRamsey CascadesRamsey CascadesRamsey Cascades TrailRamsey Cascades TrailLonesome PineLonesome PineLonesome PineLonesome Pine OverlookKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahKituwahAsheville Botanical GardensAsheville Botanical GardensAsheville Botanical GardensAsheville Botanical Gardens
A while ago, I thought how fun it would be to hike every day I’m off over the winter break. You know…like The Twelve Days of Christmas, but hikes.
I’ve just finished Day 6 and feel like I might just complete it. Of course, there is rain in the forecast; but, luckily I have rain gear. And there is no rule that states I have to hike a long distance or a minimum elevation or so many hours. I simply want to make the effort to go outside everyday I’m not working and hike in Nature. Not a walk down my gravel driveway with the dogs, actual boots-on-trails hikes.
Elk along the Oconaluftee River Trail
I’m not sure why I set the goal. Probably to shake up my life a bit and dedicate myself to something different and fun. Perhaps there’s a deeper reason.
The first three days were a bit disappointing in that the main road through the national park was closed due to snow and ice. I had to choose trails on the North Carolina side of the park. We have them, but my vision had been higher elevations and trails I don’t usually do as often. Regardless, I managed to have nice hikes near my home to start off the twelve days.
The Lonesome Pine Overlook…but it isn’t a pine 🙂
On the Solstice, I walked the easy Oconaluftee Trail, a 3.25 mile hike along the river and shared the trail with several elk. December 22, I did an easy loop at Deep Creek with 3.5 miles. December 23rd was a tough hike on Lonesome Pine Trail—3.5 miles steep uphill climb and 3.5 steep downhill…not a favorite but the view is amazing. Christmas Eve I hiked Ramsey Cascades and found it a delightful trail that is a new favorite. It was 4 miles up but not as hard as Lonesome Pine. The entire trail scenery was lovely and the ice and snow made it a very wintry wonderland. Christmas Day I intended to hike Alum Cave to the Bluff but the parking lot was full; so, I drove back to Newfound Gap and hiked up the AT to The Jump Off. This was a crazy-icy trail and microspikes made it doable with ease. It’s a challenging hike in places and I had a total of 6.5 miles. Then today, I did an easy hike again for 3.25 miles. My legs needed an easy day. Over the past six days I’ve hiked 31.5 miles. In those miles, I have hiked an elevation gain of 6700 feet.
The most elevation gain was Lonesome Pine with 2454 feet @ 7 miles (3.5 up, 3.5 down). This trail hurts me. Second highest elevation gain was Ramsey Cascades with 2323 feet in 8 miles (4 up, 4 down). The Jump Off gave a climb of 1588 feet in 6.5 miles (3.25 in, 3.25 out).
One of the old growth trees along Ramsey Cascades Trail
I didn’t intend to write this as a trail review or mileage-log; but, thought a few details might make it more fun.
Ramsey CascadesRamsey CascadesRamsey Cascades tree guardians and meTom Branch Falls at Deep CreekHeavily iced AT from Newfound GapTrail on way to Jump OffOconaluftee RiverOconaluftee River
I haven’t set too many goals in the last several years. I’ve turned into a go-with-the-flow kind of gal; however, I think the discipline involved in goal-setting is right for me at this time. There are other plans I am contemplating and doing a short-term project like The Twelve Hikes of Christmas is a great foundation for building more of the life I want to create.
Hiking on the icy AT
One reason I’m writing and sharing about this idea is to hold myself accountable. When the rain starts, I don’t want to too easily blow off a hike. I mean…somebody might actually be paying attention.
Day seven takes me to the other side of the park, to a favorite river area. It’s supposed to rain, so there will be rain gear involved. And a smaller pack since it’s not a difficult trail. Saturday and Sunday look really wet so those days might be local areas of the park within a 3 to 5 mile distance.
Wish me luck, please! Not just for this project, but for other juicy things on the horizon.
