Saturday, July 19, 2008

SATURDAY - Our Second Hike

Wow - what a day!!! We stretched ourselves past many of our personal limits today.

Joyce warmed us up for the task by leading us in a yoga session before we left.
The next stretch came when we headed out for our next big hike - and what a hike it was!
We did our morning ceremony and reflection inside an ancient ruin underneath the mountain's overhang. We sang together ("We Are Pilgrims on a Journey"), and shared our experiences during the climb up of all the different things we paid attention to.After our ceremony, we worked our way along the edge of this giant rock wallIt was a test of everyone's courage, but we had each other's support, as well as the support of our guide, James Gregory, and his assistant, Karen.Our final destination was the "hole in the wall" high up on the cliff. Crawling through it is said to be akin to being reborn into a new world. For some, the birth was more difficult that others. Joyce said she had been born feet-first the first time, so she wanted to do it head-first this time. Here, Seb emerges from the "birth canal"This lookout point gave us a fantastic view of the whole canyon
On the way down, we came across some desert mistletoe, so Joyce and Murray thought they should test it out. It worked pretty well, but Murray thought it needed more testing. (Wendy wanted it noted here that she misses Wendy Ann!)

We got back at the hotel by early afternoon, where we rested and recovered from the immense heat (+40F). Once again, we ended the day by going to the Church of the Red Rocks and making our dinner in their kitchen. At supper we had an intense debate about how to use our free time on Sunday. Ben moderated it and made sure we came to a clear decision. We didn't have a talking stick, so made use of a salad dressing bottle to keep the conversation under control.


On our way back to the hotel after dark, we stopped at a lookout above the town, and we all just lay on our backs on the ground, looking up at the immense night sky with it's millions of starts. As we lay there, Murray talked about how a relationship with God is like any other relationship, in that we cannot take it for granted; rather, we have to appreciate it as a gift, and be continually thankful for it in all its aspects. So we each shared what we were thankful for that particular day.

And was there ever a lot!!!!

GROUP LEADERS' REPORTS:

RACHAEL'S CAPTAINS LOG! Well today we did another hike and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Well, I didn’t have much trouble with the rocks, but some members of the group were having a really hard time with the heat. So I decided that I could be useful bringing up the rear and making sure no one got left behind. I really enjoyed it and I felt really good about it afterwards. I was also really proud of some members of the group because they over came their fears. At the top of the hike we did some of our own exploring on some hikes, and that put me out of my comfort zone, which was an adventure. All in all, it was a day where everyone faced their fears in one way or another. Well done everyone!

KOLEY'S INCOMING TRANSMISSION… all is well in the distant lands of Arizona. We have all survived mentally, physically and emotionally which is quite a feat considering all that we have done in the past 24 hours. From waking up early to facing fears in a hike, we have all done something to test ourselves. In a particular stretch of the hike we had to shimmy along a rock face. Several of us, myself included, were terrified of this due to fear of heights. In the end we all made it, each with our own sense of accomplishment. I am so proud of us all.

2 comments:

Pat Logan said...

Wow! I am deeply impressed by the courage you have shown in conquering the trails and rocks and your fears. Each person's confidence in herself or himself, and in the group, must have skyrocketed.
Love and blessings
Pat Logan

serenity said...

Hi everyone,

Wow, what incredible scenery. The pictures alone scare me. I am really afraid of those kinds of heights and rock climbing would probably make me pass out. What a wonderful thing that you can support each other in overcoming your fears. It's so much easier when you do it together! Good luck to all of you on your solitary retreat. We are thinking about you. Lots of love, Margaret Vant Erve