It Made the Most of Us

When I woke up on October 2, the morning of the fall "Yoga on the Mountain" hike, I was thissss close to cancelling the event. It was 40 degrees and looked like it was about to rain in Asheville. Most of the people I thought were coming backed out, and I was sure no one would show up. But my friend's Mackenzie and Kate held strong and met me at West End Bakery at ten a.m. to carpool there. It was on-- we were determined to make the most of it.  Even if we didn't end up practicing yoga, the hike would still be beautiful!

It was slightly warmer when we arrived in Maggie Valley at Cataloochee Ranch, but we still started off on the hike bundled up in hats, sweatshirts, and gloves.  By the time we made it to Hemphill Bald, however, we had stripped down to tank tops and I was anxious to get my boots off and wriggle my toes in the now gentle, warm sunlight.

Four more yogis found us at the top of the Bald.  Suddenly it was a truly beautiful and inspiring experience. 










As everyone pressed into downward dog, I encouraged them to compare their form to the shape of the mountains in the distance.  I encouraged them all to embrace the unevenness of the ground, to be aware of how it created unevenness in their mind.   This practice of steadying your body, of steadying your mind...this is yoga.

I hoped that they each felt that being outside took them outside, also, of their usual expectations of what their yoga practice should look and feel like.  Once you can get beyond what things "should" be like, it is then that you can begin to truly see what things "are".

And in this instance, atop Hemphill Bald--everything was grandeur and beauty.

We hiked down with calmer spirits and easier smiles.  We set out that morning hoping to make the most of the experience, but we left feeling that it had made the most of us.