Burrowing into the Dark and Sleet
I crawled into the tent perched atop a mountain outside West Glacier, overlooking the wide, cold river below. The night was dark, around 32 degrees. Fog wrapped around the mountains that surrounded us, the turquoise river winding cold and clear through the rugged landscape. Tamaracks stood tall on the winter grounds below, their vibrant orange recently faded, while sturdy pines held the threshold, standing strong before the mountains' sheer magnitude. Our fire crackled just outside the tent, close enough to keep us warm but far enough to keep the shelter safe.
(Story below, 3 min. read, or listen to the audio posted above, plus breathing and easy yoga tips, a sneak peak yoga practice and a song to carry you through.)
“…In complete blissful relaxation, we acknowledge our own self-nature.”
Ziji Rinpoche
Story—
I was with Cris, we’d driven north towards Glacier National Park and the university town we live in in Montana, this on the tail of national elections, our work activities while simultaneously caring and supporting a close family member through a challenging time. There had been many things happening at once, I had carried on, kept going, taking all tasks one moment at a time, one day at a time, staying stable and present for others.
Now atop the mountain, I burrowed deep into my sleeping bag and pulled a cherished wool blanket over us both. The tension I had felt began to unravel on its own. Soft sleet pattered against the tent while we nestled deeper, listening to the crackle of the fire, the steady flow of the river, and the soft rhythm of the sleet hitting the tent. Silence filled the space, expanding into its vastness and completeness. The sound of sweetness, quiet and solitude.
Then, something shifted in my nervous system, like a knot gently unraveling itself. Deep inhales came, followed by long, extended exhales, each one unwinding tension I hadn’t fully realized I was holding. My muscles softened, my breathing extended and deepened—a release that had been waiting to emerge.
Nature is not separate from the body, and the body is nature. We are already that which is the natural state of being, being itself, nature’s intelligence. We’re self-kept, intelligent, and all pervasive.
“It’s a beautiful day. Don’t let it get away.”
The U2 song played in my mind in the days that followed, a reminder that even amid challenges, there’s a grounded optimism native to our being.
Each day, breathe, rest, eat well, move your body, and nourish yourself with rest, relaxation, peace and calm, come to know this more deeply, forevermore, and inexhaustibly, make a commitment to honor that within which is already so, whole and complete, all giving.
Take breaks, lay down, sit quietly, meditate. Create space for peace in your environment, get outside, spend time in nature. Connect with what restores you, and let alone time be part of that support as well as connecting with others.
It’s time to use what we feel as fuel for change—to stand up, speak up, and do more.
As always, I’m here to share resources that support and align with this.
Try this breath practice:
Inhale through your nose into the fullness and warmth of your heart, suspend the breath at the top of the inhale for a moment or two.
Next, allow for a natural extended exhale through the nose, notice the natural pause on empty at the end of the exhale, that’s ‘it.’
Repeat again for several rounds.
These two yoga techniques for calm:
Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Lie on your back with your legs extended up a wall, keeping your arms relaxed by your sides. Ensure your lower back is comfortable, and let your body fully rest in this supported position.
Benefits: This restorative pose calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and promotes relaxation by relieving tension in your legs and lower back. It’s a simple yet powerful way to reset and release accumulated stress.Forward Folds (Paschimottanasana or Uttanasana)
From a seated or standing position, slowly fold forward, bringing your chest toward your thighs and your head toward the floor. Let your neck relax and breathe deeply.
Benefits: Forward folds gently release tension in your back and legs, promoting a grounding, calming effect. They help ease stress and promote inner focus.
Meditation:
Meditate every hour for 5 minutes, try this for a whole day, then do it again.
Sit quietly.
Try to relax throughout your day in little moments when you remember to and allow everything to be as it is and everyone to be as they are. (Dzogchen meditation)
Reach out if you'd like to connect more deeply or find support. Visit my offerings here.
CONNECT WITH THE EARTH
(Excerpt below for grounding into the earth element.)
With warmest love always from the Rocky Mountains of Montana,
Cheyenne
P.S.🌿 Exclusive Sneak Peek! 🌿
Here’s an early look at a yoga practice from my upcoming 30-day series, How to Do Yoga. This session is from Day Eleven created to deepen your connection to self and nature—filmed in Montana’s backcountry and just for my readers. Enjoy!
RESOURCE: EARTH
“This stability is always present and available and can be internalized whenever it is needed. The next time you are feeling ungrounded, scattered, insecure, or weak, retrieve earth. If you are knocked off balance in your relationships or at work or in your internal processes, make the decision to immediately feel grounded, focused, solid, and balanced by connecting to earth. Use the natural environment to develop these positive qualities. Visit places in which you naturally feel grounded and internalize the quality. Or focus in your body when you need to ground. Your body is very earthy: the feeling in it is the life of the earth. Bring your awareness there, relax, and connect. The elemental energy is already in you, is you; it's a question of bringing it to awareness, activating it, remembering it.”
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