The Santa Rosa and
San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
…”Rising abruptly from the desert floor”
“reaches an elevation of 10,834 feet”
“encompasses about 272,000 acres”
“Providing a picturesque backdrop
to local communities”
“significantly contributes to
the Coachella Valley's lure
as a popular resort
and retirement community”
“a desirable backcountry destination
that can be accessed via trails”
“reflects the vision of local citizens and national leaders
to ensure this special landscape is protected for all time”
The mountains ranges of the Coachella Valley area are legendary for attracting hikers and nature lovers from all over the globe. After a 30 minute-drive from my LaQuinta front door I can enjoy my average 4 hours on the trail. Here in what I think of as “my desert” I think of the proximity of “my mountains” as a personal gift that I savor. My special passion for hiking my desert mountains arises from the unique beauty they bring to my senses
and the peace they bring to my soul.
to traverse the desert paths that switch back and forth
and around each mountain,
new vistas open at every turn.
It is in every sense a moving meditation. I reflect on the stirring intonations of “The Mountain Meditation,” from Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life, as mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn seems to paint every picture that I see:
mountains have a lot to teach,
having archetypal significance in all cultures.”
"Mountains are sacred places.
People have always sought
spiritual guidance and renewal
in them and among them.”
they beckon and overwhelm with their sheer presence.”
”Their nature is elemental.
Rock. Rock hard. Rock solid.”
“Mountains are the place of visions, where one can touch the panoramic scale of the natural world and its intersection with life’s fragile but tenacious rootings.”
“Mountains have played key roles in our history and pre-history.
To traditional peoples, mountains were and still are
mother, father, guardian, protector, ally.”
“Mountains are quintessentially emblematic of abiding presence and stillness.”
“In Summer… Fall… Winter…
in any season it may find itself enshrouded in clouds or fog
or pelted by freezing rain…
it’s all the same to the mountain.
Seen or unseen, in sun or clouds, broiling or frigid,
it just sits, being itself.”
“As we sit holding this image in our mind
we can embody the same unwavering stillness and rootedness
in the face of everything that changes in our own lives...
By becoming the mountain…
we can link up with its strength and stability – use its energies
to support our efforts…
to encounter each moment with mindfulness, equanimity and clarity...Mountains have this to teach us and much more
if we can come to listen.”
“Yet when all is said and done… we still have to look, then go.
While the mountain image can help us become more stable,
human beings are far more interesting and complex than mountains.
We are breathing... moving, dancing… simultaneously hard like rock…
and at the same time soft and gentle and flowing...
We can see and feel… know and understand... learn and grow… heal…
especially if we learn to listen to the inner harmony of things…
and hold the central mountain axis through thick and thin.”
Poem by Li Po
"The birds have vanished into the sky and now the last cloud drains away.
We sit together, the mountain and me, until only the mountain remains."
"Try keeping this mountain image in your mind...
Explore its usefulness in deepening your capacity to dwell in stillness…
Can you see some subtle transformation occurring
in your attitude toward things that change in your life?
Can you carry the mountain image with you in daily life?
Can you see the mountain in others,
and allow them their own shape and form,
each mountain uniquely itself?”
My precious friend:
ReplyDeleteYou've crafted a lovely vision, weaving together words and photos. What a grounded peace your work describes, reflects. Thank you! Wonderful piece. Wonderful peace.
We adore you,
michael and kathy