Joshua Tree National Park
I spent this past weekend in Joshua Tree National Park communing with nature. The sun was bright and the temperature in the low 80’s, perfect for outdoor yoga, hiking, rock climbing and rappelling. It was wonderful to see the spring flowers in bloom, hear the crunch of gravel beneath my feet, and sit in the shade of a mound of boulders in quiet stillness.
I brought along my journal, thinking I would record the sights and sounds of the high desert, but found myself so absorbed in its beauty that to capture the experience on paper would take me out of the present moment. Take me out of being one with the universe.
It is an awesome experience, leaving the world of the past and the future behind and just being present. Feeling the heat of the mid-day sun. Smelling the light scent of blooming Joshua trees. Touching the smooth and rough texture of granite beneath my fingers and rappelling down a 300 foot boulder.
If you live in Southern California, this is the perfect time to drive out and visit the area.
Posted: April 14th, 2008 under mindfulness, present moment, yoga.
Comments: 2
Comments
Comment from Beth
Time: April 14, 2008, 7:54 pm
Sandy I love your post. I too feel the most balanced and in tune when I am enjoying nature. I try to impress upon my memory every sensation, sight, and smell. I have never been to Joshua Tree, your photos make me want to go.
Comment from Debora Dale
Time: April 15, 2008, 5:21 am
I’ve had similar experiences… where I’ve been upstate NY, far from the busy city. The sights, sounds and scents there are awesome and though I want to capture it all on paper, it’s impossible. I’m there so infrequently that the time I spend there must be spent soaking it all in. One day, when I need to draw on the experience, I’ll close my eyes and remember what it felt like to be so caught up in the beauty I couldn’t bare to tear myself away.
~Debbie
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