Wholistic Fitness

PART TWO:

SACRED FITNESS; Workouts Among Ancient People, Ancient Voices

“Just live, as authentically as possible.”

– Coach Ilg



Far above the high mesa’s Ananda applies her yogic powers of ‘ekagrata’ or one-pointed concentration, step by step, toward the summit of Mt. Taylor…it took us a 4+ hour snowshoe effort to attain the Sacred Summit. photo/ilg

{We now return to Part II (see DL; 1/7/05) of my recent return home to my beloved Southwest whereupon several more – they are seemingly omnipotent in this Land of Enchantment – mysterious and auspicous signs arose during my workouts. In an ongoing attempt to discover and climb the most ancient Sacred Peaks on Turtle Island (later renamed “United States”), i received audience with G. Pinto, a Navajo-Dine Tribal Teacher…i thought some of you might be interested in ‘evesdropping’ on a segment of my conversation with this Elder. Oh, don’t think you are going to get the Deeper Stuff from this chi hit…you gotta dig, Warrior, you gotta dig a bit further than Direct Lines to start unraveling the wisdom of the ancients who still abide within Turtle Island’s most profound offerings. you gotta get out into the Land, apply your multi-disciplined fitness and breathe and climb and bleed against the sage thistle before the Ancients speak true unto you. another thing, i cannot show you a photo of Teacher Pinto. There are still those among our Earth Brothers and Sisters who realize there is more to life than accelerating its speed and collecting celluloid images of a precious life that cannot ever be held still…to even try to do so, severs the Spirit of Life. Just live, as authentically as possible.” – Coach Ilg}

***

ILG: Noble Teacher of the Human Tribe…

i humbly bow to you.

i thank you for your Gift of Sharing.

i honor your wisdom.

may i humbly ask a question?

GP: {smiles affirmatively.}

ILG:i still am unable to uncover the precise peaks of the Acoma Puebloan 4 Sacred Peaks. i have the ranges, yet not the peaks. i must breathe upon their summits. please?

GP: Steve,my knowledge of the southwest is mainly based on my tribal affiliation, which is Navajo-Dine, but I’ll still try to help you out by finding out some info about my “Acoma” neighbors to the east. In the mean time, I’d like to share knowledge of “our” 4 sacred mountains. Some might be similar to the Acomas, since we live in the same vicinity, but our scale of the “homelands” is somewhat different.

ILG: i understand.

GP: With our beliefs, we begin in the East and work our way clockwise.

�

East: Mt. Blanca, located� north-east of Alamosa Colorado. (Navajo-name: “Sis nahginnii” Translation: “wears a black belt” in reference to the band of forested tree’s that band the lower slope. Traditionally linked to “the beginning”. White shell represents this mountain in ceremonies. Represents the first light of dawn. (Some medicine men also call it “Dzil Lighai” which means “white mountain”. (Local Spanish settler’s heard this story and named it Mt. Blanca.

�

South: Mt. Taylor, located next to Grants New Mexico. (Navajo name: “Dohglizhii Dzil” Translation: “Turquoise Mountain”) Represents the mid-day ‘turquoise-blue” skies. Has significance to the last battle for the Dineh people after they entered the “glittering world”. Stories and songs tell about a giant that was�killed at it base. Curious? I’ll tell you more about that if your interested.

ILG: oh, Teacher! i am interested!

rabid, you might say.

i all-Ways have been about mountains…

if i may share a story with you from two weeks ago:

while snowshoeing up Dohglizhii Dzil with my partner and accomplished yogini, Ananda, to perform a New Years Day ritual,

two auspicious Signs came into our Awareness.

Ananda, moving at less than 3 mph yet at Heart Rate of probably 180+, nearing “Raven Headwall” on the 11,000+ summit snowfield of “Dohglizhii Dzil” aka; Mt. Taylor where a very ausicious Sign came to us among this rarified ether. photo/ilg

First, while nearing the 11,301′ summit,

Raven suddenly soared into our Presence at the

precise moment we surmounted the final summit headwall…it was a huge wind day,

sub zero cold…yet Raven never once flapped Her pitch black wings, and

yet held her position without sway at stall in those monster winds…She

went into us energetically, Guardian like. She remained at perfect stall in gale force summit winds and cold for

nearly a full minute. She then cut the Chi Line to us, snapped Her wings hard to the North, and dove back

into Father Sky. Ananda,laughing and crying, had obviously been Shifted. i, meanwhile, had been transported toward what yogis know as the mahapranayamicdosha, a Realm just beyond normal waking conscious. i had {…edited…}

then,

on the descent, near the 1st Meadow, both of us heard a female voice, engaged in conversation, clear as a bell

yet in a tongue we did not recognize. we felt only laughter, levity, and joy from these people.

we kept snowshoeing down the only trail…i, an experienced mountaineer and who grew up with wolf-hybrid,

know how to read MountainSpeak {tracking}…only one other pair of snowshoe tracks were on Dohglizhii Dzil this day, so we kept expecting to see these people snowshoeing up toward us. the voices continued for about 15 minutes then became eerily silent…snow fell from an unclouded sky.

no one else was up on that mountain that day. we confirmed this not only by the easy knowledge of no other

tracks on the high reaches of the peak, but also because the remote jeep road, the only one servicing that side of the mountain and leads to the trailhead was empty. no other cars, no other people

had arrived to the mountain that day.

later, i researched and found the following story about the origins of Dohglizhii Dzil:

“The story of that unimaginably ancient eruption is best told by a moving Navajo legend narrated by Emma Begay, which goes something like this:

For many many moons, the tall mountain puffed white smoke from its very top.� After many many more moons, the mountain exploded with a monumental bang.� From its fiery bowels spewed red hot embers, turning into black rivers cascading to the valleys below.

After many more moons, the mountain suddenly closed and swallowed a beautiful Navajo maiden.� The mountain is holding her captive in its bosom to this very day.� Those who climb to the top can close their eyes and hear her in one of her many moods, sometimes laughing, sometimes singing, sometimes humming, sometimes whistling, sometimes crying, and sometimes eerily silent. ”

GP: {smiling…laughing…nodding again affirmatively then, with a sparkle went on:}

�West: San Fransisco peaks, located north of Flagstaff, Arizona. (Navajo name: “Dohkoos liid” Translation: “Mist on top”, in reference to the clouds, fog which often shroud the top.) Associated with coral and/or Abalone, which represents the fading light of day.

�

North: Mt. Hesperus, located just north-east of Mancos Colorado. (Navajo name: “Dibeh intsah” Translation: ‘big sheep”, in reference to the big horned sheep that inhabit the Colorado rockies. (An early source of winter food and clothing.)� Associated with Jet, a black stone which is a younger version of coal. This northern mountain represents all night time activities and is also known as a place similar to “purgatory”, a home to lost or restless spirits. (That also is the reason why the Navajo don’t make there Homes (Hogans) with windows or doors facing north.)

ILG: Most Noble Teacher,

my childhood home was at the eastern foot of Dibeh instah. i have climbed Her in moccasin, snowshoe, ski, and mountain bike. my wolf and i cavorted on Her slopes. my bedroom window faced her Early Morning Light, glancing off her summit snows…the image of Her beauty is etched deep into my soul…She was the first mountain beginning each of my days; i would throw off the bedcovers, run to my bedroom window to feast my excited eyes upon my two major loves; Dibeh instah winking at me in the morning sunlight, and below me, still in the predawn light, my wolf – Apache – always somehow already awake, alert, looking at my window three stories higher than him…ready to play in the day…

the other note of synchronicity: i spent 6 of 7 days ski racing during the winter at the local Durango, Colorado ski resort which, at that time, was known as, “Purgatory.”

GP: {smiling, laughing…}

i hope that quenches the cranial thirst a bit.

ILG: Quench!?!?!?

you, my Noble Native Teacher,

are making me SALIVATE like Hungry Coyote!

GP: Like I said, I’ll try to get some info on the Acoma’s traditional stories too. I’ve done a few “cleansing” tours of these 4 sacred peaks to help in solidifying “new beginnings”.

ILG: Teacher, after i leave Los Angeles,

after i have completed faithfully for my Teachers my

“Big City Mission” and return to my Beloved Southwest,

will you teach more?

take me on such a tour?!?!

i wish only to learn at your sage feet.

GP: {laughing, smiling}: there are 2 other sacred mountains which are traditionally linked to the inner soul too. More on that later.

ILG: i want to learn…i am 43 years old,

after age 50, i feel i will have my internal energetic pathways conditioned enough

and enough EarthWalk Experience in different Trials from Big City to Mountains to Sports to Meditation

to sustain

what you can show me about inner soul power.

i will keep my Practice strong and sincere for the sake of my Tribe…

and my spirit humble.

i am nothing.

GP: Watch the colors, listen to the rocks. The colors, stones, shells etc. are linked to the creation story which is told in the form of songs and chants during healing ceremonies. They are also used for these specific rituals. Hope I was of some help……………………………..maybe more?

ILG: i bow to you.

you were, always have been, always will be

of Sacred Help to me,

and many…

GP: Oh, i checked out your web-site……intriguing. I just bought a book on yoga. I’m going to try to improve my physique this year. In the words of “Lester” on American Beauty……” I want to look good naked”.

ILG:

“I want to look good naked.”

i love it!

you know, in yoga, we get as naked as possible

as often as possible

to remain humble and true to the clothes that

Mother Earth and Father Sky gifted us.

please, Tribal Teacher,

may i give you a Gift for your time…

oh

and another project for you to consider…

i wish to train and coach, free of charge, as a part of my Karma Yoga,

a Navajo-Dine

in Nordic Ski Racing to qualify and compete in the Winter Olympics

to represent the Navajo Nation to the world.

the Navajo’s have never competed in the Olympics as a Nation…

if granted this honor,

i and the Navajo-Dine warrior athlete

will train on the slopes of the Sacred Mountains

and represent your People,

The People

well.

your thoughts?

{…edited…}

“Though man can climb to the highest summits, he cannot there long dwell,” Shakespeare. Ananda, summit, arctic cold, God intoxicated, Ananda just kept waving her hand at me for no apparent reason.



may you too, reach all your physical and spiritual summits in this precious EarthWalk! Live your workouts authentically so you stand a better chance at living your life authentically!

i bow to you,

coach ilg

ps; i may be announcing a competitive return to the Sacred Slopes of the Turquoise Mountain for this February’s MT. TAYLOR WINTER QUADRATHLON, a four sport distance event that races from the town of Grants, New Mexico up to the summit of Mt. Taylor and back down again using cycling, running, skiing, and snowshoeing! Stay tuned to DL; the Website of Awakening for Fitness Warriors!