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Just above Glacier Point - view of Half Dome

When was the last time you stood in the beauty that is Nature? When was the last time you looked up at the stars and became lost in the presence of the Cosmos? When was the last time your cell phone read "searching..." for service? When was the last time you went "searching.." for yourself? Well, this past weekend, my husband and I decided to do all of these things in Yosemite National Forest to celebrate our third year of marriage.

Backstory - My husband grew up in the country. His family lived on acreage for a majority of his childhood. He learned how to shoot a bow in diapers and being outdoors was how him and his brothers spent their time together. For me, the most time I spent in Nature was when I would go camping with my family or to the Been cabin. Don't get me wrong, I loved spending time with my family, but sleeping in a tent and getting dirty wasn't exactly my cup of tea when I was young.

Swimming in Vernal Falls

Fast forward - One year from now, September 2015, my goal is to backpack the JMT with my husband and any friends who want to embrace the wild journey with me. The JMT ( John Muir Trail) is a 220.8 mile hike in the California Sierra Wilderness, beginning at Happy Isles Trailhead in Yosemite National Forest and ending atop of Mt. Whitney. This trip so not for the faint of heart, ranging from 8,000 - 14,000 ft of elevation. 

John Muir Trail Sign

So the question is, what changed for me? How did I go from " camping, no thank you" to " let's backpack up a mountain with 45 lbs attached to my back" ? Well, there are two main reasons for this change in perspective. First, my husband. He is one who faces his fears and chooses to live a life he loves. His love for the outdoors has inspired me to truly embrace my own fears of it. He has taught me that once you embrace your fear, your life can begin. I have a new found deep appreciation and love for Nature and it comes from his charisma for life.

Man of the Wild

The second reason, yoga. Yoga has taught me to embrace what life offers, and to see the beauty that exists in the present. Yoga continues to lead me on a universal path to love and peace. It has taught me that happiness is a state of being that you choose, not that is placed upon you. Being up on the mountain for a month of yoga training allowed me to truly embrace Nature. To glance up at the trees, look up at the stars, be in awe of the moon, and to BE Nature. With yoga, comes Nature. With Nature, comes yoga.

Just above Taft Point - a view that will truly take your breath away

The point of this blog is to reintroduce the glory that is right outside your front door. Go outside today, hike up a trail, look up at the moon and thank the universe for blessing your human lives with such pure beauty. Remember, we are visitors to this place, so let's treat it as such. Please, pack out your trash and treat Nature as if you would your own home.

Taft Point

McCurk Meadows

I will leave you with a quote written by John Muir, "Presently you lose consciousness of your own separate existence: you blend with the landscape, and become part and parcel of nature." Embrace the beauty that is Nature, and choose to be present with it. Find the beauty in Nature, and you will find the beaty within yourself. Namaste.

Hiking up first portion of JMT