HEALING DESERT VIBES

find yourself a favorite place to heal

It’s a funny thing on a self-healing journey—you start to learn all these things about your ever-evolving self. You start to discover the places and things you really love. You wonder if you’ve always loved these things and just didn’t know it or if this attraction is coming from the newer version of yourself. It’s hard to tell sometimes. Ten years ago, I probably wouldn’t have professed my love for the desert, but knowing my relationship to it now, it’s clear that it’s always been a part of my soul. We were just waiting to meet.

I didn’t start taking trips to desert regions until I moved to California. You don’t get that kind landscape in the northeast where I grew up. My first couple road trips to southwest desert lands I experienced physical reactions in my chest and belly spaces as I drove into the changing scenery. The color palette, the land and the mystery of it all drew me in. There was an immediate release in my mind and body. There was an immediate realization of how small we are in this vast space that is the universe, and with that I was able to experience peace. I felt like I was driving into home every time and this feeling was enough to validate my soul’s connection to this landscape of nature.

FIND A LANDSCAPE YOU LOVE

Southwest desert trips started out as curiosity of new places to see and a need to get out of the city, but I quickly realized these landscapes were fuel for my self-healing. An early morning road trip, an airbnb or motel reservation and hiking gear in tow, I would quickly transport myself to a portal full of cacti, ancient rocks, dry land and vast desert life that encouraged me to tap into my senses. From these experiences, I got to know myself a lot better which is what self-healing is all about.

My relationship with the desert is still growing. I’m a visitor, not a resident. I go in the winter when temperatures are more mild and bearable so I can hike and be outside with comfort. I’m a traveler breezing through, experiencing the mystery of it all for a sustainable amount of time. The desert is no joke. The air is not the same. Your body will react differently. You better be okay with creatures and you have to let the land lead the way. It’s not an easy environment. But I’ll tell you what, there’s nothing like a moonrise in the desert. That and some magic mushrooms and you got yourself a life-changing experience. Trust me.

I share this because I’ve realized how important it is to find landscapes that you love, landscapes that you can depend on for self-healing. You might be surprised how close they are to you. Think about colors and textures that draw you in. Temperatures and smells. Think about what landscapes support the kinds of activities that make you feel good. My love for the desert might by your countryside or lakeshore. Maybe it’s the ocean or rolling hills that get you high. Wherever it may be, get yourself there when you need it because you deserve it. Get high on the landscape supply!