Wholistic Fitness

click on pics for a greater chi hit

Doko Oosliid, taken from my cell phone yesterday evening from near my front porch…the mountain bike ride described in today’s entry below, wiggles it’s way up the sexy left shoulder of the Sacred Peak toward the unseen Ski Area.

i got this shot yesterday as well, from my office window from where i write you now. i was taken by the harmonic artistry of these windswept cloud formations and the spaciousness of the blue between.

***

This evening the cloudscape is scarce…some long, lingering fingers of cirrus punctuated by a spackle of leftover cumulus out beyond Kendrick Peak, hovering over the Grand Canyon. ilg can hear the Canyon Wren’s goodnight call from here.

Yesterday, in an attempt to stay out of an intrepid spring ‘breeze’ (which here means a flag will be flying straight out) i chose a mountain bike route that climbs toward the ski area along an old Stage Coach Route for it’s first part and completes it’s 13 kilometers at 9,300′ from the WF Temple H(om)e at 7,353′ along a network of single and doubletracks ending on a segment of the Arizona Trail called, Aspen Loop. Dedicated DL’rs will have seen stunning photos of this backyard route of mine.

This was my first real bike ride since Iron Horse. i felt great; my lungs were open, my legs felt like etheral pistons pumping rhythmically to my breath pattern (elongated exhales) among the swaying pines. Kachina Spirits were dancing, furtively, just along my periphery…each time i looked up at these Spirit Beings, she/he/it disappeared like an elk in the mist.

Climbing past the aspens, past the alpine stock ponds filled to the brim, climbing beyond the Beyond…healthy and so wealthy in the truest sense of the word.

The Spirit Blessings of this Medicine Ride only deepened on the descent; that’s right another 13k all downhill on world-class single and doubletrack. on the featured singletrack known locally as “Sherlock” came sartori m(om)ents…railing along this perfectly bermed and sinuous trail (created by and maintained by trail motorcycles, though i’ve never encountered one up here) i nearly t-boned into a clan of Deer Beings…

“OM MANI PADME HUNG!!!,” i shouted as i all-Ways do to Animal Beings*,
“AI IMAWA!…SORRY TO HAVE STARTLED YOU!”

one of the deers had a neck tag. as i diced my way down the fun trail, i reflected on how traumatic was this deer’s capture to his life. how did it affect him?

shortly thereafter, i nearly crashed due to being absolutely hypnotized by what happened next.

down and up a compression ravine, Grunt (my MTB) and i spurted headfirst into an alpine meadow absolutely in shock with an ocean of Mountain Columbines! there were hundreds – all in bloom – if not thousands. each of these delightful Plant Beings smiling at ilg as if i were the only one on Gods Great Earth to appreciate them.

perhaps i was?

after reaching the Grand Canyon Highway, i felt myself take a right for a longer loop through more single track through the Ponderosa to get home. Ponderosa, you see, are natures ultimate windbreak.

noodling Grunt through yet more orgasmic singletrack, i entered Sabi Meadow, which you’ve seen pictures of both dressed in winter and summer wear. this gorgeous meadow which lays like a royal Knight’s upturned palm before the Sacred Peak of Doko Oosliid sported something quite special this morning of mornings…

there, standing within his own sheer magnificence and majesty stood a solo male Pronghorn Antelope. alerted to my presence, not 50 meters from him, he stared…and started trotting then galloping; no better running mechanics could ever be displayed from our Two Legged Tribe, i’ll tell you that much. Head still. Leading from the Heart. Spine as a spring. Leg cadence smooth and layered with multi-dimensional power that defies my vocabulary.

Grunt, ilg, and Antelope Being shared a precious gallop across an alpine meadow for about 30 seconds of Zen. ilg will run with this image, this Animal Medicine, this Antelope Healing. ilg may take this image into the Bardo Entry m(om)ent. that’s how beautiful, how empowering was this treasured flight of Animal, Machine, and Man.

to feeble ilg, a mind is not some deposit bank for stuff you thrown in there from books, and unenlightened people, and iPods and all the rest of the clutter.

to feeble ilg, a mind is not some cerebral canister that you try to fill with facts and this and that and hope to recollect every now and then in order to go on grasping instead of Listening, Concentrating, and Reflecting what is as is.

to feeble ilg, there is no such thing as mind, for ilg cannot find it. anywhere.

to this mountain yogi, there is no mind.

there are however, ancient Aspen trees, dancing Deer Beings, Mountain Columbines, and galloping Pronghorns through alpine meadows.

and for ilg,
this is enlightenment
enough.

May Your Practice Be Strong, Clear, and Fluid…

ilg

* it is said in the yogic scriptures, that should a sincere yogi chant the Sacred Mantra of OM MANI PADME HUNG to Animal and Plant Beings, they will automatically take a higher incarnation next life.