I’m settling into my groove. I am a Zion canyoneering guide seeking a Mojave meditation on my own time.
Fighting the wind on early morning bike rides up the canyon, afternoon siestas out of the blistering heat, and evening hikes under freezing rain drops call attention to the daily extremes and fluctuations of the Mojave Desert. Ephemeral climate changes during any given day are one of the characteristics of the desert that make me feel alive. I’m in a constant state of adaptation, ever aware of my physical needs, tuned-in perfectly to this masterpiece of machinery that is my human body.
There’s a simplicity to this state of being that has a calming affect on the rhythm and hum of thoughts in my brain. Suddenly I’m aware and ‘present’ with my surroundings. The reds of the rock resonate with my own vibrant energy until I can literally sense myself growing stronger. Trilling bird song reaches my ears, accentuating the silence. A rising dust storm ahead alerts me to the presence of large animals – a mule train makes its way up the dry river banks.
It’s this sweet meditation that brings me back again and again. This calm is the state of being I hope my guests find when they venture to undertake Sol’s Redrock Backpacker: Southwestern, Utah adventure. This is my Mojave Meditation video